Over the past two decades experimental studies have solidified the interpretation of the cytoskeleton as a highly dynamic network of microtubules, actin microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and myosin filaments.

Rather than a network of disparate fibers, these polymers are often interconnected and display synergy, which is the combined action of two or more cytoskeletal polymers to achieve a specific cellular structure or function. Cross-communication among cytoskeletal polymers is thought to be achieved through cytoskeletal polymer accessory proteins and molecular motors that bind two or more cytoskeletal polymers.

Development of the modern concept of the cytoskeleton is a direct growth of advances in experimental tools and reagents that are available to cell and molecular biologists. Technological advances and refinements in cell imaging have made it possible to selectively image a single cytoskeletal polymer and monitor its dynamics through the use of fluorescence probes in vitro and in vivo.

Two decades ago, cytoskeletal research was limited to a few perturbation reagents that included colchicine and cytochalasin. Today, the perturbation arsenal has expanded to a highly selective group of reagents that includes Taxol, nocodazole, benomyl, latrunculin, jasplakinolide, and such endogenous proteins as gelsolin. These reagents enable the investigator to selectively perturb or destroy a cytoskeletal polymer while leaving other cytoskeletal polymers intact.

Site-specific monoclonal antibodies that target a specific cytoskeletal polymer have proven to be highly selective affinity tools for cytoskeletal research.