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definitions

microtubule

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

noun Cell Biology.

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

Nearby words

  1. microtomic,
  2. microtomy,
  3. microtone,
  4. microtopography,
  5. microtremor,
  6. microvasculature,
  7. microvillus,
  8. microvolt,
  9. microwatt,
  10. microwavable

Origin of microtubule

First recorded in 1960–65; micro- + tubule
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for microtubule

microtubule

noun

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
Medicine definitions for microtubule

microtubule

[mī′krō-tōō′byōōl]

n.

Any of the proteinaceous cylindrical hollow structures that are distributed throughout the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, providing structural support and assisting in cellular locomotion and transport.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for microtubule

microtubule

[mī′krō-tōō′byōōl]

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.