cytoskeleton

plural cytoskeletons · plural cytoskeleta

1. A matrix of intercellular protein, in the forms of microfilaments and microtubules, that provide some rigidity to cells

   Thus, large systems such as viruses, multienzyme complexes, cell-cytoskeleta and flagella are usually constructed from multiple copies of the same protein.

   1981, Leonardo, volume 14, page 311

   5 more examples

   Judged from Electron-Microscopy (EM) studies of bilayer depleted cytoskeleta the spectrin/actin network exhibits basically a hexagonal (triangular) topology.

   1992, A. Zilker, H. Strey, E. Sackmann, “Erythrocytes Membranes: Tethered Shells with Fluid-Like Deformation Regime”, in Reinhard Lipowsky, Dieter Richter, Kurt Kremer, editors, The Structure and Conformation of Amphiphilic Membranes: Proceedings of the International Workshop on Amphiphilic Membranes, Jülich, Germany, September 16–18, 1991 (Springer Proceedings in Physics; 66), Springer-Verlag, →ISBN, part II (Conformation of Membranes), page 114

   In this process, cellular debris and cytoskeleta of the lysed cells were effectively removed, and the underlying ECM remained intact and adhered to the entire area of the tissue culture dish.

   1994, Cancer Research, volume 54, number 9, page 2592, column 1

   Cells including leukocytes are not just bags of cytosol, but have structured cytoskeleta, surface structures, and different viscoelastic properties at different length and time scales.

   2009, Maria K. Pospieszalska, Klaus Ley, “Modeling Leukocyte Rolling”, in Klaus Ley, editor, Leucocyte Rolling and Adhesion (Current Topics in Membranes; 64), Academic Press, →ISBN, section 2 (Adhesion Molecules), page 224

   One may consider then the resulting forms as due to the plasticity of organismal development, as cytoskeleta seem shaped, not just selected, also by gravity.

   2015, Barbara Bravi, Giuseppe Longo, “The Unconventionality of Nature: Biology, from Noise to Functional Randomness”, in Cristian S. Calude, Michael J. Dinneen, editors, Unconventional Computation and Natural Computation: 14th International Conference, UCNC 2015, Auckland, New Zealand, August 30 – September 3, 2015, Proceedings, Springer, →ISBN, page 29

   The Poisson distribution can model fiber-fiber contacts in random fiber networks. Biological examples include connective tissues (cartilage and tendons) and cellular cytoskeleta.

   2021, Michael Frame, Mathematical Models in the Biosciences 1, Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 394