BIOLOGY 2B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Filopodia, Cytokinesis, Kinesin
1 Sep 2020
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Document Summary
Necessary for shape of specialized structures in differentiated cells such as microtubules in cilia and actin filaments in microvilli of epithelial cells. Cell shape depends on the unique function of different filaments, and so in neurons, we see microtubules providing structure to elongated axon and actin providing shape and structure to the growth cone. The cytoskeleton must be dynamic to provide movement such as migration of cells and cell division. 3 classes of eukaryotic cells that have been defined by their diameter and type of subunit used as a building block: actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments. Actin filaments are labelled using a fluorescently-labelled phalloidin molecule (toxin derived from a mushroom called death cap), specific antibodies or fusion protein (gfp) Phalloidin binds to actin monomers with high affinity and also stabilizes the filament when bound. Microtubules are labelled using antibodies specific to tubulin subunits or using fusion protein (gfp)
