Studying cytoskeletal processes with optical tweezers correlated to IRM and fluorescence microscopy

Abstract

Microtubules are dynamic polymers that play an essential role in intercellular transport and organization. Microtubules generate forces through cycles of growth and shrinkage, which drive chromosome segregation and serve as roads for molecular motors to transport cargo inside the cell and maintain the structure of the cell. Therefore, studying the organization and dynamics of microtubules and the interaction of cellular motors with them is crucial to understanding the different mechanisms involved in these biological processes.