BIO230H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Tubulin, Microtubule, Cytoskeleton
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BIO230H1 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Inherently polarized (ends are different: from subunit, to protofilament, to network. Mtoc have centrioles surrounded by hundreds of proteins with y-tubulin nucleation sites on the surface. Microtubule networks can form a coordinate system on their own: microtubules are able to push centrioles away from the membrane into the middle of the cell, centrioles are thus typically close to the middle (nucleus) Motors move cargo through the microtubule networks: motor activity is polarized. E. g. , microtubules control the colour of the african cichlid fish: male dominant behaviour causes black colour change. Melanosomes: pigment-containing vesicles; when they are throughout the cell, the cell is black: camouflage behaviour causes white colour change. Melanosome at the negative end, in the centre of the cell. Microscopic black pigment is in the middle, and the cell is white. Plays critical role in organizing cell structure and controlling cell behaviour inherently polarized from subunit, to filaments, to networks.
