{"id":1931,"date":"2016-05-06T22:47:18","date_gmt":"2016-05-06T22:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/biologyxwaymakerxmaster\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1931"},"modified":"2024-04-26T18:45:55","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T18:45:55","slug":"reading-intermediate-filaments","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/chapter\/reading-intermediate-filaments\/","title":{"raw":"Intermediate Filaments","rendered":"Intermediate Filaments"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe the structure and function of intermediate filaments<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIntermediate filaments are made of several strands of fibrous proteins that are wound together (Figure 1). These elements of the cytoskeleton get their name from the fact that their diameter, 8 to 10 nm, is between those of microfilaments and microtubules.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1710\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"544\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1710\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/110\/2016\/05\/03185218\/Figure_04_05_03.jpg\" alt=\"This illustration shows 10 intermediate filament fibers bundled together.\" width=\"544\" height=\"116\" \/> Figure 1. Intermediate filaments consist of several intertwined strands of fibrous proteins.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIntermediate filaments have no role in cell movement. Their function is purely structural. They bear tension, thus maintaining the shape of the cell, and anchor the nucleus and other organelles in place. Figure 2\u00a0shows how intermediate filaments create a supportive scaffolding inside the cell.\r\n\r\nThe intermediate filaments are the most diverse group of cytoskeletal elements. Several types of fibrous proteins are found in the intermediate filaments. You are probably most familiar with keratin, the fibrous protein that strengthens your hair, nails, and the epidermis of the skin.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2020\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1115\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2020\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/110\/2016\/05\/10201632\/Figure_04_05_011.jpg\" alt=\"Microfilaments line the inside of the plasma membrane, whereas microfilaments radiate out from the center of the cell. Intermediate filaments form a network throughout the cell that holds organelles in place.\" width=\"1115\" height=\"373\" \/> Figure 2. Microfilaments thicken the cortex around the inner edge of a cell; like rubber bands, they resist tension. Microtubules are found in the interior of the cell where they maintain cell shape by resisting compressive forces. Intermediate filaments are found throughout the cell and hold organelles in place.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/c87e1cfd-d914-435b-ae4e-f2ea5d83106b\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe the structure and function of intermediate filaments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Intermediate filaments are made of several strands of fibrous proteins that are wound together (Figure 1). These elements of the cytoskeleton get their name from the fact that their diameter, 8 to 10 nm, is between those of microfilaments and microtubules.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1710\" style=\"width: 554px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1710\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1710\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/110\/2016\/05\/03185218\/Figure_04_05_03.jpg\" alt=\"This illustration shows 10 intermediate filament fibers bundled together.\" width=\"544\" height=\"116\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1710\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1. Intermediate filaments consist of several intertwined strands of fibrous proteins.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Intermediate filaments have no role in cell movement. Their function is purely structural. They bear tension, thus maintaining the shape of the cell, and anchor the nucleus and other organelles in place. Figure 2\u00a0shows how intermediate filaments create a supportive scaffolding inside the cell.<\/p>\n<p>The intermediate filaments are the most diverse group of cytoskeletal elements. Several types of fibrous proteins are found in the intermediate filaments. You are probably most familiar with keratin, the fibrous protein that strengthens your hair, nails, and the epidermis of the skin.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2020\" style=\"width: 1125px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2020\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2020\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/110\/2016\/05\/10201632\/Figure_04_05_011.jpg\" alt=\"Microfilaments line the inside of the plasma membrane, whereas microfilaments radiate out from the center of the cell. Intermediate filaments form a network throughout the cell that holds organelles in place.\" width=\"1115\" height=\"373\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2020\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 2. Microfilaments thicken the cortex around the inner edge of a cell; like rubber bands, they resist tension. Microtubules are found in the interior of the cell where they maintain cell shape by resisting compressive forces. Intermediate filaments are found throughout the cell and hold organelles in place.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_c87e1cfd-d914-435b-ae4e-f2ea5d83106b\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/c87e1cfd-d914-435b-ae4e-f2ea5d83106b?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_c87e1cfd-d914-435b-ae4e-f2ea5d83106b\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1931\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Biology 2e. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: OpenStax. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/185cbf87-c72e-48f5-b51e-f14f21b5eabd@10.8\">http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/185cbf87-c72e-48f5-b51e-f14f21b5eabd@10.8<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Access for free at https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/biology-2e\/pages\/1-introduction<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":17,"menu_order":13,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Biology 2e\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"OpenStax\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/185cbf87-c72e-48f5-b51e-f14f21b5eabd@10.8\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Access for free at https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/biology-2e\/pages\/1-introduction\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"2d4f4761-85f5-4dee-9526-b775d317bfc5, 3706e443-f87a-4093-a240-00466a26edf2","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1931","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":103,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5887,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1931\/revisions\/5887"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/103"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1931\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1931"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1931"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-biology1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}