Microtubule Attachment
Microtubule Attachment - Related Videos
12:20
Preparation of Segmented Microtubules to Study Motions Driven by the Disassembling Microtubule Ends
0 Views •
Cited by 24 •
2014
Microtubules are inherently unstable polymers, and their switching between growth and shortening is stochastic and difficult to control. Here we describe protocols using segmented microtubules with photoablatable stabilizing caps. Depolymerization of segmented microtubules can be triggered with high temporal and spatial resolution, thereby assisting analysis of motions with the disassembling microtubule ends.
01:20
Attachment
0 Views •
2025
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...
06:36
Interference Reflection Microscopy for Label-Free Visualization of Microtubule Dynamics
0 Views •
2025
In this video, we describe the interference reflection microscopy (IRM) technique to visualize microtubules growing on a coverslip surface in the presence of a suitable buffer. Upon illumination with incident light, the coverslip-buffer interface and buffer-microtubule interface reflect light, which combines to create an interference pattern, enabling the visualization of microtubules as high-contrast images against a bright background.
02:14
Microscopy-Based Evaluation of Bacterial Attachment to Plant Root Surfaces
0 Views •
2026
Source: Matthysse, A. G. Adherence of Bacteria to Plant Surfaces Measured in the Laboratory. J. Vis. Exp. (2018).This video demonstrates the evaluation of bacterial attachment to plant roots using phase-contrast microscopy. Root samples from seedlings incubated with bacteria are first mounted to check for free bacteria. The samples are then washed to remove loosely attached bacteria and remounted using a suitable coverslip to prevent damage. Finally, the number of bacteria attached to the root...
01:35
Microtubules
0 Views •
2026
There are three types of cytoskeletal structures in eukaryotic cells—microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the thickest of these fibers. Microtubules carry out a variety of functions that include cell structure and support, transport of organelles, cell motility (movement), and the separation of chromosomes during cell division.Microtubules are hollow tubes whose walls are made up of globular tubulin proteins. Each tubulin...
FAQs
Microtubule plus ends connect with kinetochores, protein assemblies located on chromosomes. Because microtubules can grow and shorten, their attachment does more than hold chromosomes in place: it produces forces that move chromosomes toward alignment and later contribute to sister-chromatid separation. The regulated interaction between the microtubule end and kinetochore determines whether these forces are transmitted effectively.
Growth and shortening provide dynamic changes in microtubule length that help position and move chromosomes during cell division. An attached microtubule can therefore participate in chromosome alignment and separation rather than acting as a fixed tether. This dynamic behavior is essential because mitosis requires chromosomes to change position before sister chromatids separate.
A correct bipolar attachment is recognized by the way chromosome connections support accurate alignment and subsequent separation of sister chromatids. Faulty connections do not provide the appropriate arrangement or force pattern. Error-correction mechanisms monitor these interactions and help distinguish reliable bipolar attachments from incorrect ones, reducing the chance that chromosomes will segregate inaccurately.
Kinetochore proteins regulate how microtubule ends interact with chromosomes. Their controlled interactions help establish attachment, maintain a functional connection, and support the force-producing behavior of growing or shortening microtubules. This regulation is important because attachment alone is insufficient; the connection must also be organized well enough to align chromosomes and promote accurate sister-chromatid separation.
During mitosis, regulated attachments help align chromosomes and separate sister chromatids at the appropriate stage of cell division. Error correction further limits the persistence of faulty connections. Together, these processes improve the accuracy of chromosome distribution to daughter cells. When attachment or correction fails, chromosome segregation can become abnormal, providing a mechanistic link to aneuploidy.
The process is relevant because errors in chromosome attachment and segregation can produce aneuploidy, meaning an abnormal chromosome number. Aneuploidy is associated with developmental disorders and cancer, so studying how microtubule ends, kinetochores, and correction mechanisms coordinate offers insight into how division errors arise. The same framework also informs broader studies of chromosome organization during cell division.