Chapter 7c: Inside the Cell – The Cytoskeleton

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to the cytoskeleton, including the types of filaments, their structures, functions, and the molecular mechanisms involved in cell movement and division.

Cytoskeleton

A dense and complex network of three distinct cytoskeletal polymers that maintain cell shape, structure, and movement.

Actin Filaments (Microfilaments)

Thin cytoskeletal fibers made of coiled strands of actin; involved in cell movement, shape maintenance, and muscle contraction.

Microtubules

Hollow tubes made of tubulin, providing structural support, facilitating organelle movement, and participating in cell division.

Intermediate Filaments

A type of cytoskeletal filament that maintains cell shape and provides mechanical strength, composed of various proteins like keratin.

Dynamic Instability

The rapid shrinking and regrowth of microtubules, allowing for flexibility and resilience during cellular processes.

Kinesin

A type of motor protein that transports vesicles along microtubules using energy from ATP hydrolysis.

Dynein

A motor protein that assists in the movement of vesicles and the bending of cilia and flagella.

Axoneme

The structure of cilia and flagella, characterized by a '9 + 2' arrangement of microtubules.

Cytoplasmic Streaming

The movement of cytoplasm within plant cells, facilitated by actin-myosin interactions.

Myosin

A motor protein that interacts with actin filaments to facilitate muscle contraction and cellular movement.

Cytoskeleton

A dense and complex network of three distinct cytoskeletal polymers that maintain cell shape, structure, and movement.

Actin Filaments (Microfilaments)

Thin cytoskeletal fibers made of coiled strands of actin; involved in cell movement, shape maintenance, and muscle contraction.

Microtubules

Hollow tubes made of tubulin, providing structural support, facilitating organelle movement, and participating in cell division.

Intermediate Filaments

A type of cytoskeletal filament that maintains cell shape and provides mechanical strength, composed of various proteins like keratin.

Dynamic Instability

The rapid shrinking and regrowth of microtubules, allowing for flexibility and resilience during cellular processes.

Kinesin

A type of motor protein that transports vesicles along microtubules using energy from ATP hydrolysis.

Dynein

A motor protein that assists in the movement of vesicles and the bending of cilia and flagella.

Axoneme

The structure of cilia and flagella, characterized by a '9 + 2' arrangement of microtubules.

Cytoplasmic Streaming

The movement of cytoplasm within plant cells, facilitated by actin-myosin interactions.

Myosin

A motor protein that interacts with actin filaments to facilitate muscle contraction and cellular movement.

Centrosome

The primary microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells, consisting of two centrioles and pericentriolar material, responsible for nucleating microtubules.

Centrioles

Cylindrical structures within the centrosome, composed of nine triplets of microtubules, involved in microtubule organization and cell division.

Mitotic Spindle

A dynamic structure formed by microtubules during cell division that separates chromosomes equally into daughter cells.

G-actin (Globular Actin)

The monomeric (single) form of actin that polymerizes to form F-actin (Filamentous actin) in microfilaments.

Keratin Filaments

A prominent type of intermediate filament found in epithelial cells, providing mechanical strength and forming structures like hair and nails.

Retrograde Transport

The movement of vesicles or organelles towards the cell body (minus end of microtubules), typically mediated by dynein motor proteins.

Anterograde Transport

The movement of vesicles or organelles away from the cell body (plus end of microtubules), typically mediated by kinesin motor