What is the difference between microtubules and microfilaments?
Ahhhh, the cell cytoskeleton. If memory serves me well, these are the 2 major members of the 3 filament systems that form the “skeleton” witin all cells, regulating cell shape, motility and strength. Each filament system has quite different proteins, properties and functions, though all work independently, and yet together. A more accurate analogy than just “skeleton” to ourselves would not just be the bony skeleton (strength) but also the vascular system (transport) and nervous system (signaling). Microtubules are involved with most movement inside the cell, including chromosomes during cell division and vesicle transport. Microfilaments are invovled with cell shape and cell motility, including dividing the cytoplasm at the end of mitosis and actin/myosin motor effects.
