Antimicrotubule agent

Antimicrotubule agent

Antimicrotubule agents (pronunciation: an-ti-mi-cro-tu-bule ay-gents) are a class of chemotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of cancer.

Etymology

The term "antimicrotubule" is derived from the Greek words 'anti' meaning against, 'micro' meaning small, and 'tubule' referring to a small tube. These agents work against microtubules, which are small tube-like structures in cells that are crucial for cell division.

Function

Antimicrotubule agents function by inhibiting the polymerization of tubulin into microtubules, which are essential components of the cell's cytoskeleton. By disrupting the formation of these structures, these agents prevent cancer cells from dividing and growing, thereby inhibiting the progression of the disease.

Types

There are several types of antimicrotubule agents, including vinca alkaloids, taxanes, and epothilones. Each of these classes of drugs has a slightly different mechanism of action, but all work to disrupt the formation of microtubules in cancer cells.

Vinca Alkaloids

Vinca alkaloids are a class of antimicrotubule agents that include drugs such as vincristine and vinblastine. These drugs bind to tubulin and prevent its polymerization into microtubules, thereby inhibiting cell division.

Taxanes

Taxanes, such as paclitaxel and docetaxel, are another class of antimicrotubule agents. These drugs work by stabilizing microtubules and preventing their depolymerization, which disrupts the normal function of the cell and leads to cell death.

Epothilones

Epothilones, including ixabepilone, are a newer class of antimicrotubule agents. These drugs have a similar mechanism of action to taxanes, but are effective in some cases where taxanes are not.

Related Terms

• Chemotherapy
• Cancer
• Cell division
• Microtubule
• Tubulin
• Vinca alkaloids
• Taxanes
• Epothilones

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Antimicrotubule agent
• Wikipedia's article - Antimicrotubule agent

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