Final answer:
Microtubule organizing centers in animal cells contribute to interphase by serving as points from which microtubules extend, maintaining cell shape, and preparing the cell for mitosis by forming the mitotic spindle.
Step-by-step explanation:
Microtubule organizing centers (MOCs), such as centrosomes in animal cells, play a critical role during interphase, the non-dividing phase of the cell cycle.
The centrosome, which includes a pair of centrioles, serves as the organizing center of microtubules. During interphase, centrosomes aid in cell structure by directing microtubule growth, which maintains the cell's shape and aids in intracellular transport. Although primarily recognized for their role in cell division, centrosomes are crucial during interphase for preparations for mitosis such as growing and positioning the microtubules appropriately.
During the G2 phase of interphase, the cell prepares for mitosis by synthesizing proteins needed for chromosome manipulation. Centrosomes also begin to duplicate, which is essential for later stages of cell division.
The microtubules extending from centrioles are integral for the formation of the mitotic spindle that will eventually become critical during mitosis for separating chromosomes. The integrity of this system is so crucial that drugs aimed at treating cancer, such as vincristine and colchicine, target tubulin to disrupt the microtubule assembly and hamper cell division.