Name: Components of the Cytoplasm
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 1 min 45 s
Description: The main components of the cytoplasm are cytosol, the organelles and various cytoplasmic inclusions. Learn more about them in this informative video.

Question

Differentiate among microtubules, microfilaments and microfibrils.

Accepted Answer

Difference between Microtubules, microfilaments and microfibrils:

Microtubules Microfilaments Microfibrils

Microtubules are polymers of tubulin that form part of the cytoskeleton and provide structure and shape to the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, some bacteria and some archaea .They are formed by the polymerization of a dimer of two globular proteins, alpha and beta-tubulin into protofilaments that can then associate laterally to form a hollow tube, the microtubule. Microfilaments are composed of two strands of subunits of the protein actin (hence the name actin filaments) wound in a spiral. Specifically, the actin subunits that come together to form a microfilament are called globular actin (G-actin), and once they are joined together they are called filamentous actin (F-actin). A microfibril is a very fine fibril, or fibre-like strand, consisting of glycoproteins and cellulose. It is usually, but not always, used as a general term in describing the structure of protein fibre, e.g. hair and sperm tail. Its most frequently observed structural pattern is the 9+2 pattern in which two central protofibrils are surrounded by nine other pairs.

Differentiate among microtubules, microfilaments and microfibrils.

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