Question

Many drugs have the ability to disrupt the cytoskeletal structure of the cell. These drugs are useful in the study of microtubules and microfilaments.  

a. What are some of the drugs used to study microfilaments?

b. What are some of the drugs used to study microtubules?

c. What additional technique with applications similar to these drugs is often used to study the cytoskeleton?

d. Cancer is a disease in which cells divide uncontrollably. Many of the drugs used in the study of microtubules are also used in the treatment of cancer. From what you know about microtubules and microfilaments, can you suggest why drugs that disrupt microtubules are more useful in the treatment of cancer than drugs used to disrupt microfilaments?

e. Anticancer drugs are placed into categories of drugs that describes their function. What are the categories and gives examples of each?  

Answer 1

a. Drugs used for study of microfilaments includes :- Cytochalasins, latrunculin, jasplakinolide, phalloidin etc

b. Drugs used for study of microtubules includes :- colchicine, demecolcine, vinblastine, rotenone etc

c .other methods used for the study of cytoskeleton consit of

Fluroscence imaging - fluroscene microscopy used for analysing the structure of cytoskeleton. Flurocent dye used for detection.

Cell migration studies - cell migration studies helps to find out more characters of cytoskeleton. Most cell migartions like movements of immune cells, embryo development are drived by action of cytoskeleton.

d drugs which disrupt both microfilaments and microtubule are used in cancer treatment.

Drugs which disrupt microtubules are widely used . This is because tubulin ( a protein which forms microtubules) is an important part of mitosis and cell division. So drug disrupt the tubulin will lead to breakdown of cell cycle which result in cell death. Also tubulin has wide range of binding sites.