theories exist on microtubule movement within the cell: dynamic instability and treadmilling. Dynamic instability occurs when the microtubule assembles and disassembles at one end only, while treadmilling occurs when one end polymerizes while the other end disassembles. Critical concentration The critical concentration is the concentration of either G-actin (actin) or the alpha,beta- tubulin complex (microtubules) at which the end will remain in an equilibrium state with no net growth or shrinkage. What determines whether the ends grow or shrink is entirely dependent on the cytosolic concentration of available monomer subunits in the surrounding area. Critical concentration differs from the positive (CC+) and the negative end (CC−), and under normal physiological conditions, the critical concentration is lower at the positive end than the negative end. Examples in how the cytosolic concentration relates to the critical concentration and polymerization are as follows: A cytosolic concentration of subunits above both the CC+ and CC− ends results in subunit addition at both ends A cytosolic concentration of subunits below both the CC+ and CC− ends results in subunit removal at both ends Note that the cytosolic concentration of the monomer subunit between the CC+ and CC− ends is what is defined as treadmilling in which there is growth at the plus end, and shrinking on the minus end. The cell attempts to maintain a subunit concentration between the dissociation constants at the plus and minus ends of the polymer. Microtubule treadmilling Microtubules formed from pure tubulin undergo subunit uptake and loss at ends by both random exchange diffusion, and by a directional (treadmilling) element. Treadmilling is inefficient, and for microtubules at steady state: the Wegner s-value1 (the reciprocal of the number of molecular events required for the net uptake of a subunit) is equal to 0.0005-0.001; i.e., it requires >1000 events. Microtubule treadmilling with pure tubulin also occurs with growing microtubules and is enhanced by proteins that bind to ends11. Rapid treadmilling occurs in cells. FtsZ treadmilling The bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ is one of the best documented treadmilling polymers. FtsZ assembles into protofilaments that are one subunit thick, which can further associate into small patches of parallel protofilaments. Single filaments and/or patches have been demonstrated to treadmill in vitro and inside bacterial cells. A Monte Carlo model of FtsZ treadmilling has been designed, based on a conformational change of subunits upon polymerization and GTP hydrolysis. References External links Treadmill Finder Cell movement Molecular