ABSTRACT
Microtubules are involved in several fundamental aspects of cell physiology. They have been known for over 30 years to be the major structural components of the mitotic and meiotic spindle and to be required for chromosome segregation. They are involved in establishing and maintaining the polarity and asymmetry of many types of cells, such as epithelial cells and neurons. They are also required for the intracellular transport and positioning of many, if not all, membrane-bounded organelles, including mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, endosomes, the nucleus, the ER, and synaptic and other secretory vesicles.
