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Related Concept Videos

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles01:43

The Movement of Organelles and Vesicles

In eukaryotic cells,  cytoskeletal filaments such as actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments form a mesh-like cytoskeletal network. These filaments serve as tracks for transporting cellular cargo. Specialized motor proteins use the chemical energy stored in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for this transport. During interphase, microtubules are polarized, with the plus-end towards the cell periphery and the minus-end towards the cell center. Two microtubule-associated motor proteins,...
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Spindle assembly occurs through three, often coexisting, pathways – the centrosome-mediated pathway, the chromatin-mediated pathway, and the microtubule-mediated pathway – collectively contributing to form a robust spindle apparatus.
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a microtubule array...
Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins01:32

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Eukaryotic cells have different motor proteins for transporting various cargo within the cell. These motor proteins differ based on the filament they associate with, the direction they move within the cell, and the type of cargo they transport. Motor proteins that associate with microtubules are known as microtubule-associated motor proteins. There are two families of microtubule-associated motor proteins —Kinesins and Dyneins. Both these proteins assist in the transport of cellular cargos...
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

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Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Motility of Single Molecules and Clusters of Bi-Directional Kinesin-5 Cin8 Purified from S. cerevisiae Cells
10:46

Motility of Single Molecules and Clusters of Bi-Directional Kinesin-5 Cin8 Purified from S. cerevisiae Cells

Published on: February 2, 2022

Kinesin assembly and movement in cells.

Kristen J Verhey1, Neha Kaul, Virupakshi Soppina

  • 1Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. kjverhey@umich.edu

Annual Review of Biophysics
|February 22, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Molecular motors like kinesin drive long-distance transport in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies explore how kinesin-1, kinesin-2, and kinesin-3 function within cells, bridging in vitro and in vivo knowledge.

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Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Motility of Single Molecules and Clusters of Bi-Directional Kinesin-5 Cin8 Purified from S. cerevisiae Cells
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Published on: February 2, 2022

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Published on: May 10, 2022

Assembling Molecular Shuttles Powered by Reversibly Attached Kinesins
08:04

Assembling Molecular Shuttles Powered by Reversibly Attached Kinesins

Published on: January 26, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Molecular motors
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Eukaryotic long-distance transport relies on molecular motors moving along microtubule tracks.
  • Kinesin superfamily motors possess motor domains for cargo binding, regulation, and oligomerization.
  • In vitro studies extensively characterize kinesin motor domains, but in vivo cellular behavior remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent research bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo kinesin motor function.
  • To elucidate the cellular mechanisms governing intracellular transport by kinesin motors.
  • To understand how kinesin motors operate in the complex cellular environment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies on kinesin-1, kinesin-2, and kinesin-3 families.
  • Analysis of subunit assembly for functional motor production.
  • Investigation of environmental factors affecting motor activity on cellular microtubules.

Main Results:

  • Kinesin subunit assembly mechanisms elucidated.
  • Impact of cellular biochemical cues and microtubule obstacles on kinesin motor function detailed.
  • Collective action of multiple motors on cargo for enhanced force and distance demonstrated.

Conclusions:

  • Recent studies significantly advance understanding of kinesin motor behavior in vivo.
  • Kinesin motors' assembly, environmental interactions, and cooperative function are better understood.
  • This knowledge is crucial for comprehending intracellular transport dynamics.