microtubule

American  

[mahy-kroh-too-byool, -tyoo-] / ˌmaɪ kroʊˈtu byul, -ˈtyu- /

noun

Cell Biology.

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

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microtubule British  

/ 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

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microtubule Scientific  

/ mī′krō-to̅o̅′byo̅o̅l /

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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Etymology

Origin of microtubule

First recorded in 1960–65; micro- + tubule

Example Sentences

After DNA separation, large microtubule structures called asters expand throughout the cytoplasm.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

When DNA inside the nucleus of a human cell is damaged, a specific network of microtubule filaments forms in the cytoplasm around the nucleus and pushes on the nuclear envelope.

From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2024

The change makes γ-TuRC stow away one of its 14 tubulins, effectively matching the design of the microtubule that needs only 13 rows.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as microcephaly also occur when microtubule processes go wrong, as well as other conditions ranging from respiratory problems to heart disease.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

In the nervous system, microtubule networks work both as structures connecting nerve cells and as a means for the nervous system to transmit chemical signals that produce sensation.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2024