Figure 11.

Cartoon representation of microtubule bending and transport in an LLC-PK1 cell. The motor shown in (blue) is a minus-end–directed motor, such as dynein. A typical MT cross-linked at the distal tip, buckles as a result of the motor force. The MT based motors anchored at the actin rich cortex cause the deformation of the MTs in the middle regions of the cell. The force on the given MT is presumably balanced by cross-links on MTs on the other side of the cell. Some of these forces can also presumably be accommodated by the centrosome or linkages to it.