cytoskeleton

[ sahy-tuh-skel-i-tn ]

noun

, Cell Biology.

1. a shifting lattice arrangement of structural and contractile components distributed throughout the cell cytoplasm, composed of microtubules, microfilaments, and larger filaments, functioning as a structural support and transport mechanism.

cytoskeleton

/ ˈsaɪtəʊˌskɛlɪtən /

noun

1. a network of fibrous proteins that governs the shape and movement of a biological cell

cytoskeleton

/ sī′tə-skĕl′ĭ-tn /

1. The internal framework of a cell, composed of a network of protein filaments and extending throughout the fluid of the cell (the cytosol). The cytoskeleton consists mainly of actin filaments and microtubules and plays an important role in cell movement, shape, growth, division, and differentiation, as well as in the movement of organelles within the cell. All eukaryotic cells have a cytoskeleton.

cytoskeleton

1. The inner structural elements, or backbone, of a cell . It consists of microtubules and various filaments that spread out through the cytoplasm , providing both structural support and a means of transport within the cell.

Other Words From

• cyto·skele·tal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cytoskeleton¹

cyto- + skeleton