Admission Test for Dental Hygiene (ATDH) Practice

What is the primary function of the cytoskeleton in a cell?

1. Cell division

2. Cell movement and intracellular transportation

3. Energy production

4. DNA replication

The correct answer is: Cell movement and intracellular transportation

The primary function of the cytoskeleton in a cell is to provide structural support, shape, and enable movement, both of the cell itself and internally within the cell through intracellular transport. The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments and tubules that facilitates various cellular processes. It plays a crucial role in organizing the cell's components, ensuring proper positioning of organelles, and aiding in the transport of materials which is particularly important in larger cells where distance between cellular structures can be significant. The cytoskeleton is also involved in cell motility, enabling processes such as amoeboid movement and the contraction of muscle cells. In contrast, while cell division, energy production, and DNA replication are critical cellular processes, they do not primarily involve the cytoskeleton's core functions. Cell division is more directly associated with structures like the mitotic spindle, energy production primarily occurs in organelles such as mitochondria, and DNA replication is orchestrated by specific enzymes and proteins involved in the replication process, not directly by the cytoskeletal elements. Thus, the correct response highlights the multifaceted role of the cytoskeleton in promoting cellular dynamics and organization.