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Related Concept Videos

Microtubules01:35

Microtubules

101.6K
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.
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Microtubules01:18

Microtubules

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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....
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Microtubule Instability02:17

Microtubule Instability

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Microtubules are hollow cylindrical filaments having a diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length that varies from 200 nm to 25 μm. GTP-bound tubulin subunits form αβ-heterodimers for microtubule assembly. These core building blocks interact longitudinally, polymerizing into protofilaments. The protofilaments then interact with one another through lateral bonding forces to form stable cylindrical microtubules. These cylindrical filaments are dynamic as they undergo repeated...
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Microtubule Formation01:23

Microtubule Formation

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Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo continuous assembly and disassembly. They originate from specialized multi-protein complexes known as microtubule organizing centers or MTOCs. Within the MTOC, the point of origin of the microtubule is known as the minus end, while the end radiating outward is the plus end. Microtubules serve two primary functions — the organization of spindle complexes to separate sister chromatids during mitotic or meiotic cell division and the formation...
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Destabilization of Microtubules01:45

Destabilization of Microtubules

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The destabilization of microtubules can occur during different stages of the microtubule lifecycle, such as nucleation or elongation. It can take place at either end of the microtubule or in the microtubule lattices as a whole. The lifespan of individual microtubules within a cell varies according to the cell type and stage of the cell cycle. During interphase, the lifespan of the microtubule is about 30 minutes, while during cell division, it is about 15 minutes. In axonal microtubules of...
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Microtubules in Signaling01:22

Microtubules in Signaling

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The primary cilium, made up of microtubules, acts as antennae on the cell surfaces for relaying external stimuli into the cells. These fine hair-like structures are present, generally one per cell. These are non-motile cilia in a 9+0 microtubules arrangement, where the central pair of microtubules are absent. The primary cilia arise from the basal body embedded in the cell membrane. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) carries requisite proteins from the cytoplasm to the cilium because the primary...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Cargo Loading onto Kinesin Powered Molecular Shuttles
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Cargo Loading onto Kinesin Powered Molecular Shuttles

Published on: November 3, 2010

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Cargo navigation across 3D microtubule intersections.

Jared P Bergman1, Matthew J Bovyn2,3, Florence F Doval4

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0840.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|January 4, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microtubule network geometry regulates intracellular cargo transport. Changing filament spacing and angles at crossings can direct cargo movement, revealing new mechanisms for cellular organization.

Keywords:
biophysicscytoskeletal transportkinesinmicrotubulesnetwork

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Characterizing the Composition of Molecular Motors on Moving Axonal Cargo Using "Cargo Mapping" Analysis
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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Cytoskeleton Dynamics

Background:

  • The microtubule cytoskeleton forms a complex 3D network crucial for cellular functions.
  • Microtubule intersections influence cargo transport, but the role of geometry is underappreciated.
  • Mechanisms governing geometry-based regulation of cargo transport are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how 3D microtubule network geometry regulates kinesin-1 driven cargo navigation.
  • To determine if specific geometric parameters at microtubule crossings can bias cargo routing.
  • To develop a model explaining cargo behavior at microtubule intersections.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 3D microtubule manipulation system to construct de novo filament crossings in vitro.
  • Assayed kinesin-1 driven model cargo navigation across these engineered microtubule intersections.
  • Developed a computational model incorporating 3D geometry, stochastic motion, and motor dynamics.

Main Results:

  • 3D microtubule network geometry significantly influences cargo routing.
  • Cargo passage or switching behavior can be biased by altering filament spacing or angle.
  • The developed model accurately captures experimental observations of cargo navigation.

Conclusions:

  • Microtubule intersection geometry is a critical regulatory factor in intracellular cargo transport.
  • Precise control over microtubule geometry offers a mechanism to direct cargo flow within the cell.
  • Combined experimental and theoretical approaches elucidated the mechanisms of cargo navigation at microtubule crossings.