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Related Concept Videos

Role of Microtubules in Cell Wall Deposition01:02

Role of Microtubules in Cell Wall Deposition

Microtubules are small hollow tubes in eukaryotic cells. The cell wall microtubules are polymerized dimers of two globular proteins, α-tubulin and β-tubulin, two globular proteins. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the widest components of the cytoskeleton. They help the cell resist compression and provide a track along which vesicles move through the cell or pull replicated chromosomes to opposite ends of a dividing cell. Microtubules go through quick cycles of disassembly and...
Microtubules01:35

Microtubules

There are three types of cytoskeletal structures in eukaryotic cells—microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the thickest of these fibers. Microtubules carry out a variety of functions that include cell structure and support, transport of organelles, cell motility (movement), and the separation of chromosomes during cell division.Microtubules are hollow tubes whose walls are made up of globular tubulin proteins. Each tubulin...
Microtubules01:18

Microtubules

Microtubules are the thickest cytoskeletal filaments with a diameter of 25 nm. In prokaryotic organisms, microtubules are commonly found in locomotory appendages like cilia and flagella. In eukaryotic cells, microtubules form specialized extensions for moving fluid over the surface, like those found in cells lining the intestine.
Microtubules have two structurally similar globular protein subunits: α and β tubulins. In the cytosol, the α and β tubulins form a heterodimer. These αβ-heterodimers...
The Phragmoplast01:59

The Phragmoplast

Cell division is essential for organismal growth and development. In animal cells, the central spindle and its associated proteins form the midbody, a structure that has an essential role in cytokinesis. In plants, the central spindle, along with the microtubules, actin, and other cell components, matures into the phragmoplast, which is necessary for cytokinesis. Unlike the stationary midbody, the phragmoplast expands centrifugally, eventually leading to the formation of the new cell wall.
The...
The Phragmoplast01:59

The Phragmoplast

Cell division is essential for organismal growth and development. In animal cells, the central spindle and its associated proteins form the midbody, a structure that has an essential role in cytokinesis. In plants, the central spindle, along with the microtubules, actin, and other cell components, matures into the phragmoplast, which is necessary for cytokinesis. Unlike the stationary midbody, the phragmoplast expands centrifugally, eventually leading to the formation of the new cell wall.
The...
Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures01:32

Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures

Complex microtubule structures are present in resting cells and in dividing cells. In resting cells, they are responsible for maintaining the cellular architecture, tracks for intracellular transport, positioning of organelles, assembly of cilia and flagella. They mediate the bipolar spindle assembly for chromosomal segregation and positioning of the cell division plate in dividing cells. The formation of microtubule complex structures depends on the cell type, cell stage, and cell function.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem
07:52

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem

Published on: May 23, 2020

A "MICROTUBULE" IN PLANT CELL FINE STRUCTURE.

M C Ledbetter1, K R Porter

  • 1Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|October 30, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Improved plant cell fixation using glutaraldehyde reveals novel cortical tubules. These tubules may influence cytoplasmic streaming and cell wall formation, offering new insights into plant cell structure.

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Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem
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Published on: February 18, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Plant Cell Biology
  • Cellular Ultrastructure
  • Cytoskeleton Dynamics

Background:

  • Previous studies using osmium tetroxide (OSO(4)) fixation showed plasma membrane discontinuities in plant cells during wall formation.
  • Inadequate fixation methods limited the understanding of cortical fine structure and cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the ultrastructure of plant cell cortices using improved fixation techniques.
  • To identify and characterize novel cellular structures potentially involved in cell wall formation and cytoplasmic streaming.

Main Methods:

  • Electron microscopy was employed to examine plant cell cortices.
  • Glutaraldehyde was used as a primary fixative, improving the preservation of cellular fine structure compared to OSO(4) alone.

Main Results:

  • Glutaraldehyde fixation revealed slender tubules (230-270 A diameter) in the cortical regions of angiosperm and gymnosperm cells.
  • These tubules were also observed in mitotic spindles, albeit with a slightly smaller diameter.
  • Cortical tubules were found to be positioned near the plasma membrane and their orientation appeared to correlate with adjacent cellulose microfibril alignment.

Conclusions:

  • Improved glutaraldehyde fixation provides enhanced visualization of plant cell cortical structures.
  • The newly identified cortical tubules may play a role in regulating cytoplasmic streaming and directing cell wall material deposition.
  • The observed correlation between tubule orientation and cellulose microfibrils suggests a potential role in cell wall organization.