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microtubule

[ mahy-kroh-too-byool, -tyoo- ]

noun

, Cell Biology.
  1. a hollow cylindrical structure in the cytoplasm of most cells, involved in intracellular shape and transport.


microtubule

/ ˌmaɪkrəʊˈtjuːbjuːl /

noun

  1. biology a tubular aggregate of protein subunits that forms structures, such as the mitotic spindle or the cilia of animal cells or of protozoans, in which the protein interacts with other proteins to generate various cellular movements


microtubule

/ mī′krō-to̅o̅byo̅o̅l /

  1. Any of the tube-shaped protein structures that help eukaryotic cells maintain their shape and assist in forming the cell spindle during cell division. Microtubules and actin filaments are the main components of the cell's supporting matrix or cytoskeleton .


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Word History and Origins

Origin of microtubule1

First recorded in 1960–65; micro- + tubule

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