Page 102 - Atlas of Histology with Functional Correlations

Abundant in liver and kidney cells, which remove much of the toxic material

Detoxify, degrade alcohol, oxidize fatty acids, and metabolize compounds

CELL CYTOSKELETON

Microfilaments

Thinnest microfilaments in the cytoskeleton
Composed of protein actin and contribute to cell and organelle movements

Distributed throughout cell and used as anchors at cell junctions
Form core of microvilli and terminal web at cell apices
Actin–myosin interactions produce muscle contractions

Intermediate Filaments

Thicker than microfilaments
Epithelial cells contain keratin filaments
In skin cells, they terminate at desmosomes and hemidesmosomes

Vimentin filaments found in mesenchymal cells
Desmin filaments found in smooth and skeletal muscles
Glial filaments found in astrocytic cells of the nervous system
Lamin filaments found in nuclear membrane

Microtubules

Largest filaments in cytoskeleton and found in most cells except red blood

cells
Composed of α and β tubulin
Originate from centrosome
Determine cell shape and function in intracellular transport
Form spindles and separate duplicated chromosomes during cell mitosis

Present in cilia, flagella, centrioles, and basal bodies

Centrosome and Centrioles

Centrosome located near nucleus and contain two centrioles

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