Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
12:20
Preparation of Segmented Microtubules to Study Motions Driven by the Disassembling Microtubule Ends
Published on: March 15, 2014
Vesicle movements and microtubule-based motors
M P Sheetz1, R Vale, B Schnapp
1Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University Medical School, St Louis, MO 63110.
Journal of Cell Science. Supplement
|January 1, 1986
Summary
Cytoplasmic motor proteins, kinesin and axoplasmic retrograde factor, power vesicle movement along microtubules in both directions. This study provides evidence supporting their role in intracellular transport.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Molecular motors
- Cytoskeletal dynamics
Background:
- Cytoplasmic vesicles move along microtubules bidirectionally.
- Microtubule-based transport is crucial for cellular function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the roles of kinesin and axoplasmic retrograde factor in powering vesicle movement.
- To test the hypothesis that these motors drive bidirectional vesicle transport.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of cytoplasmic motor proteins.
- Utilizing anionic latex beads to track motor activity along polar microtubule arrays.
Main Results:
- Kinesin and axoplasmic retrograde factor were isolated and characterized.
- Both motors demonstrated the ability to power latex beads bidirectionally along microtubules.
Conclusions:
- Evidence supports the hypothesis that kinesin and retrograde motors are responsible for powering vesicle movements.
- Further research is needed to definitively prove the role of these motors in vivo.
Related Concept Videos
01:35Microtubules
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...
01:18Microtubules
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...
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...
01:32Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins
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...
01:43The 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,...
01:24Microtubules in Cell Motility
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...
01:24Microtubules in Cell Motility
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...