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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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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.

Etymology

Origin of microtubule

First recorded in 1960–65; micro- + tubule

Vocabulary lists containing microtubule

Cell Biology - High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Instead of the engine, CENP-E behaves like a coupling that secures the link between a chromosome and the microtubule.

From Science Daily • Dec. 10, 2025

The most well-known consequence of microtubule malfunction is cancer, a disease characterised by uncontrolled cell proliferation.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

The whole process is facilitated by a newly-discovered latch mechanism, revealing that it’s the growing microtubule itself which helps the template find its correct shape.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

This analysis revealed that as γ-TuRC starts the nucleation process and as the microtubule begins to form, it cleverly changes its shape.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024

Zaferani said scientists are still working to understand elements of microtubule growth and chemical properties.

From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.