The Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeleton is a network of protein fibers that runs throughout the cytoplasmA jelly-like substance in cells where most chemical reactions occur. of the cell. The cytoskeleton plays a number of important roles in the functioning of the cell, including maintaining the shape of the cell, organizing the internal structureThe organisation and order of information in a text. of the cell, and providing a scaffold for the movement of organelles and other cellular components. The cytoskeleton is made up of three main types of protein fibers: microfilaments, intermediateAny structure in the reaction profile which is connected by two transition states and is an energy minima. Although intermediates are energetically disfavoured they are stable and can sometimes be isolated. filaments, and microtubules.

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Microfilaments are the thinnest and most flexible of the cytoskeletal fibers, and they are involved in the movement of the cell membraneA thin, partially permeable barrier surrounding the cell that controls movement of substances in and out. and in the maintenance of cell shape.

Intermediate filaments are intermediate in size and stiffness, and they are involved in the maintenance of cell shape and in the attachment of organelles to the cytoskeleton.

Microtubules are the thickest and stiffest of the cytoskeletal fibers, and they are involved in the maintenance of cell shape and in the movement of organelles within the cell.