300898 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Appendicular Skeleton, Cytoskeleton, Archaea
Document Summary
It is a complex network of interlinking laments and tubules that extend throughout the cytoplasm, from the nucleus to the plasma membrane. The cytoskeletal systems of different organisms are composed of similar proteins. In eukaryotes, the cytoskeletal matrix is a dynamic structure composed of three main proteins, which are capable of rapid growth or disassembly dependent on the cell"s requirements at a certain period of time. The structure, function and dynamic behavior of the cytoskeleton can be very different, depending on organism and cell type. Even within one cell the cytoskeleton can change through association with other proteins and the previous history of the network. A multitude of functions can be performed by the cytoskeleton. Its primary function would arguably be to give the cell its shape and mechanical resistance to deformation, and through association with extracellular connective tissue and other cells it stabilizes entire tissues.
