cytoskeleton

cyto- +‎ skeleton

cytoskeleton (plural cytoskeletons or cytoskeleta)

1. A matrix of intercellular protein, in the forms of microfilaments and microtubules, that provide some rigidity to cells
   • 1981, Leonardo, volume 14, page 311:

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

   • 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:

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

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

     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.

   • 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:

     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.

   • 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:

     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.

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

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