MICROFILAMENT

Microfilament

Microfilaments or actin filaments are the thinnest filaments of the cytoskeleton, a structure found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. These linear polymers of actin subunits are flexible and relatively strong, resisting buckling by multi-piconewton compressive forces and filament fracture by nanonewton tensile forces. Microfilaments are highly versatile, functioning in cytokinesis, amoeboid movement, and changes in cell shape. In inducing this cell motility, one end of the actin filament elongates while the other end contracts, presumably by myosin II molecular motors. Additionally, they function as part of actomyosin-driven contractile ...

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microfilament

Noun

  1. A very fine (thin) filament.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: microfilament
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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