Final answer:
Microtubules are cytoskeletal structures composed of α-tubulin and β-tubulin proteins, forming a hollow cylinder stabilized by a GTP cap.
Step-by-step explanation:
Microtubules are formed from the tubulin heterodimer, which is composed of the nucleotide-binding α-tubulin protein and the β-tubulin protein. Tubulin dimers are stacked together into protofilaments; thirteen parallel protofilaments form the tubelike structure of a microtubule. γ-tubulin rings are important for microtubule nucleation and are found in the centrosome, which is usually found near the cell's nucleus in cells that are not undergoing mitosis.
A microtubule that is quickly growing will have a GTP cap that helps prevent the loss of subunits from its growing end. Stable microtubules are used in cilia and flagella; these microtubules are nucleated from a basal body and involve a "nine plus two" array of microtubules. The motor protein dynein generates the bending motion in cilia; the lack of this protein can cause Kartagener's syndrome in humans.