LIFE 120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Microtubule Organizing Center, Globular Protein, Centrosome
Document Summary
4. 6 the cytoskeleton is a network of fibers that organizes structures and activities in the cell. The cytoskeleton is a network of fibers extending throughout the cytoplasm. It organizes the cell"s structures and activities, anchoring many organelles. The cytoskeleton helps to support the cell and maintain its shape. It interacts with motor proteins to produce motility. Inside the cell, vesicles and other organelles can walk along the tracks provided by the cytoskeleton. 3 main types of fibers make up the cytoskeleton. Microtubules are thickest of the 3 components of the cytoskeleton. Microfilaments, also called actin filaments, are the thinnest components. Intermediate filaments are fibers with diameters in a middle range. Microtubules are hollow rods constructed from globular protein dimers called tubulin. In animal cells, microtubules grow out from a centrosome near the nucleus. The centrosome has a pair of centrioles, each with 9 triplets of microtubules arranged in a ring.
