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Microtubules

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

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....

Spherical Coordinates

Spherical Coordinates

Spherical coordinate systems are preferred over Cartesian, polar, or cylindrical coordinates for systems with spherical symmetry. For example, to describe the surface of a sphere, Cartesian coordinates require all three coordinates. On the other hand, the spherical coordinate system requires only one parameter: the sphere's radius. As a result, the complicated mathematical calculations become simple. Spherical coordinates are used in science and engineering applications like electric and...

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Muscle Contraction

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Muscle Contraction

In skeletal muscles, acetylcholine is released by nerve terminals at the motor endplate—the point of synaptic communication between motor neurons and muscle fibers. The binding of acetylcholine to its receptors on the sarcolemma allows entry of sodium ions into the cell and triggers an action potential in the muscle cell. Thus, electrical signals from the brain are transmitted to the muscle. Subsequently, the enzyme acetylcholinesterase breaks down acetylcholine to prevent excessive...

Protein Networks

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An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Published on: January 13, 2023

Spherical network contraction forms microtubule asters in confinement.

Michael P N Juniper¹, Marian Weiss², Ilia Platzman²

¹The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK. thomas.surrey@crick.ac.uk.

|January 25, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Confinement guides self-organizing microtubule-kinesin networks into single asters. This controlled pathway via spherical constriction improves network robustness and cell-like organization.

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Area of Science:

Cellular biophysics
Active matter physics
Biomimetic systems

Background:

Microtubules and motor proteins form dynamic networks essential for cellular functions.
Self-organization of these networks is influenced by cellular confinement.
The precise mechanisms of self-organization under confinement remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how microtubule-kinesin networks self-organize under confinement.
To understand the effects of confinement on network morphology and dynamics.
To elucidate the pathway of aster formation within confined environments.

Main Methods:

Utilized polymer-stabilized microfluidic droplets for controlled confinement.
Employed minus-end directed microtubule cross-linking kinesins.
Analyzed network self-organization and aster formation within droplets.

Main Results:

Discovered a novel pathway of microtubule aster formation driven by network constriction.
Demonstrated that confinement induces spherical constriction of the motor/microtubule network.
Observed robust and reproducible formation of single, well-centered asters across thousands of droplets.

Conclusions:

Confinement imposes a specific self-organization pathway leading to aster formation.
The spherical constriction mechanism highlights the interplay between confinement, contraction, and aster development.
Well-defined confinement enhances the robustness of active network self-organization, offering design principles for micro-scale systems.