Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026
07:43
In vivo Assessment of Microtubule Dynamics and Orientation in Caenorhabditis elegans Neurons
Published on: November 20, 2021
3.5K
Tipping microtubule dynamics, one protofilament at a time
1Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|March 25, 2018
Summary
Microtubules, essential cellular structures, dynamically grow and shorten. Their behavior is finely tuned by structural changes and modifications, impacting diverse cell functions.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Microtubules are dynamic polymers crucial for cellular processes.
- They are composed of protofilaments made of tubulin dimers.
- Microtubule dynamics are influenced by various structural and molecular factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the factors affecting microtubule dynamics and mechanics.
- To understand how structural perturbations and modifications influence microtubule behavior.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of microtubule structural plasticity.
- Investigation of end-targeting effects on dynamics.
- Examination of lattice changes due to GTP hydrolysis and dimer dynamics.
- Review of post-translational modifications and tubulin isotypes.
Main Results:
- Structural perturbations at microtubule ends can significantly alter dynamics.
- Microtubule lattice undergoes compaction and remodeling.
- Tubulin dimer dynamics and GTP hydrolysis impact mechanical properties.
- Post-translational modifications and tubulin isotypes diversify microtubule functions.
Conclusions:
- Microtubule dynamics are highly sensitive to structural and molecular regulation.
- Lattice plasticity and end perturbations are key determinants of microtubule behavior.
- Modifications and isotypes enable functional diversity essential for cellular processes.
More Related Videos
10:25High-resolution Time-lapse Imaging and Automated Analysis of Microtubule Dynamics in Living Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
Published on: August 13, 2016
11.6K
08:31Measurement of Microtubule Dynamics by Spinning Disk Microscopy in Monopolar Mitotic Spindles
Published on: November 15, 2019
6.7K
Related Concept Videos
01:35Microtubules
101.2K
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.
101.2K
01:18Microtubules
10.8K
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....
Microtubules have two structurally similar globular protein subunits: α and β tubulins. In the cytosol, the α and β tubulins form a heterodimer....
10.8K
02:17Microtubule Instability
6.3K
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...
6.3K
01:23Microtubule Formation
7.7K
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...
7.7K
01:45Destabilization of Microtubules
3.7K
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...
3.7K
01:22Microtubules in Signaling
2.2K
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...
2.2K