"Tubule" Natural Recordings by Native Speakers
A small tube or pipe, especially one in a biological system.
In botany, a tubule is also a small tube or vessel in a plant, typically one that transports water and nutrients.
In cells, tubules are small tubular structures that function as part of the cell's transport systems.
Tubule Examples
Here are five examples of the word "tubule" in different contexts:
Tubuai is a commune (collectivity) located on the island of Tubuai in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean.
The word "tubular" can have two main meanings depending on the context.<br><br>1. <strong>Shape</strong>: In a literal sense, "tubular" refers to something that has a tube-like shape. For example, a tubular structure is long and cylindrical, like a tube.<br><br>2. <strong>Surfing</strong>: In a more idiomatic or colloquial sense, "tubular" was a surfing slang term popularized in the 1980s and 1990s, used to express excitement, coolness, or freshness about a particular wave, surf spot, or even a film. It's like saying something is awesome or excellent.
Tubulariae refers to a type of soft-bodied Hydra-like cnidarian, a group of simple, multicellular marine animals. They are also known as fire jelly or Portuguese man-of-war's relative or even as man o' war's enemies.
Tubularian refers to a class of marine animals belonging to the phylum Echinodermata. They are type of "sea pens" or "feather stars," characterized by their long, thin, cylindrical or tubular bodies, which are usually anchored to the seafloor. Tubularians have a unique body structure, with a mouth surrounded by tentacles and a feathery structure at the top, resembling a feather quill or a pen nib.
To form or consist of tubes or tubules.<br><br>Example: The tubulate structure of the plant's stem allowed for efficient water transportation.
Tubulated refers to having or forming tubes or tubular structures. In a more figurative sense, it can also describe something that is shaped like a tube or a cylinder.
Tubulation refers to the formation or connection of tubes, typically involving the growth of tubular structures, often associated with biological processes. It is used in various contexts such as anatomy (the formation of tubes or channels within a living organism), linguistics (the formation of tubular sounds in philology), and engineering (the creation of tubes or pipes for transportation or fluid dynamics).
The term "Tubulibranchian" refers to a subclass of marine gastropod mollusks, commonly known as sea hares, cone snails, or sea butterflies. The name is derived from "tubuli" (Latin for "little tubes") and "branchia" (Greek for "gills"), which refers to the presence of internal, tubular gills in these marine animals. <br><br>These creatures are primarily found in tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. As a class of mollusk, they are generally slow-moving, often using their wings-like parapodia to glide through the water in a manner reminiscent of a butterfly (hence, "sea butterflies"). Notably, many species of sea hares are venomous; a few species of cone snails are well-known for their dangerous venom and are among the most venomous animals in the world.<br><br>Tubulibranchians are important ecosystem components, participating in nutrient cycling through the consumption of algae and organic matter, and serving as hosts for various parasites and associations with marine animals, such as the sea hares' well-documented relationship with zooxanthellae, photosynthetic algae that symbiotically inhabit their bodies.
Tubulin is a key protein component of microtubules, which are essential for the structure and movement of eukaryotic cells. Microtubules are dynamic, tubular structures composed of tubulin protein subunits that play a critical role in various cellular processes, including:<br><br>1. Cell division: Microtubules form the spindle fibers that separate chromosomes during cell division, ensuring accurate chromosome segregation.<br>2. Intracellular transport: Tubulin microtubules act as tracks for motor proteins (kinesin and dynein) to move organelles, vesicles, and other cellular components within the cell.<br>3. Cell shape and architecture: Microtubules provide structural support and maintain the shape of cells, particularly during cell growth and migration.<br>4. Cytoskeletal stability: Microtubules contribute to cellular stability and mechanical strength, helping cells to resist external forces and maintaining cell integrity.<br><br>Tubulin is a key player in these processes and is composed of two main forms: alpha-tubulin and beta-tubulin. These subunits assemble to form microtubules, which are stabilized by other microtubule-associated proteins.