The septins are a novel family of proteins that were first recognized in yeast 
as proteins associated with the neck filaments. Recent work has shown that 
septins are also present in other fungi, insects, and vertebrates. Despite the 
apparent differences in modes of cytokinesis amongst species, septins appear to 
be essential for this process in both fungal and animal cells. The septins also 
appear to be involved in various other aspects of the organization of the cell 
surface.