Final answer:
Dynamic instability is a characteristic of the plus end (+end) of the microtubule, critical for cellular functions such as chromosome separation during cell division.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dynamic instability is an inherent property of the plus end (+end) of the microtubule, where subunits are added during growth and lost during shrinkage. Microtubules are essential structural components of the cytoskeleton, made from polymerized dimers of α-tubulin and β-tubulin. They play a pivotal role in many cellular processes, including resisting compression, serving as tracks for vesicle movement, and facilitating the separation of chromosomes during cell division.
While both ends of a microtubule are involved in its dynamic instability, the plus end is particularly notable for its rapid addition and loss of tubulin subunits, which is regulated by GTP hydrolysis. This process has significant implications in the reorganization of microtubules into spindle fibers during mitosis, where they extend from centrioles or microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) and interact with other proteins such as dynein to generate force on chromatids and facilitate chromosomal movement.