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Understanding Microtubule Structure and Function is Key to Unraveling Fundamental Mechanisms of the Cell
Published December 14, 2003
Microtubules are cylindrical polymers found in every eukaryotic cell that play a role in both cellular architecture and as molecular train tracks used to transport everything from chromosomes to drug molecules. They have a unique structure that has implications at both the cellular level, in terms of the functions they perform, and at the multi-cellular level, such as determining the left-right symmetry in plants. An understanding of microtubule structure and function is key not just to unraveling fundamental mechanisms of the cell, but to opening the way to the discovery of new of anti-parasitic and anti-cancer drugs.