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Just as our body has a skeleton as its foundation, so does a cell. The cytoskeleton is a network of fibers that determines the cell's movement, transportation of materials, and other things. The cytoskeleton is composed of microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments. Microtubules are the thickest. They serve to move chromosomes during cell division. The microtubules attach to sites on the center of chromosomes (centromeres) and the chromosomes move along the microtubules. Microtubules are also found in cilia and flagella (structures that enable the cells to move around). Microtubules have their beginings at the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) which takes place at the center of the cell. Microfilaments are made up of two chains of the polymer, actin. They provide support to cell organelles. Intermediate Filaments maintain the shape of the cell. They're also responsible for maintaining the nucleus during cell division.
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