Final answer:
Dynamic instability allows a microtubule to switch back and forth between polymerization and depolymerization, which is crucial for cellular functions such as cell division and motility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dynamic instability refers to the ability of a microtubule to switch back and forth between polymerization and depolymerization. Microtubules, composed of α-tubulin and β-tubulin dimers, are crucial to cellular structure and function. They grow by adding tubulin subunits at their plus end (+end) and can shrink by losing subunits from the minus end (-end). This process is important during cell division, where the microtubules form the mitotic spindle and are responsible for the movement and separation of chromatids to opposite poles of the cell.
The dynamic nature of microtubules is also evident in their role in setting the paths along which genetic material is moved during mitosis, and in the bending of cilia and flagella, facilitated by the motor protein dynein. The dynamic instability of microtubules is an essential process that ensures the proper functioning of cells during division and motility.