Gliding assays are in vitro methods to examine the movement of microtubule motors. To perform a gliding assay, a cover slip is placed on a slide and you add purified kinesin motors. The motors stick to the bottom of the cover slip, and you add microtubules and taxol. You can then observe the motors moving the microtubules around the slide. Taxol is important because it binds to and stabilizes the microtubules, preventng them from depolymerizing.
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