MTs

MTs is an acronym with several meanings, depending on context. The most common references are to microtubules in biology and to Mountain Time, a time zone in North America. Other specialized uses exist in various fields, but they are generally less widely encountered.

In biology, MTs stands for microtubules, which are cylindrical polymers composed of tubulin proteins. They form part of the cytoskeleton and provide structural support, organize organelles, and serve as tracks for motor proteins such as kinesin and dynein to move cellular cargo. Microtubules play a crucial role in cell division by forming the mitotic spindle. They are highly dynamic, undergoing continuous cycles of polymerization and depolymerization, a property tightly regulated by microtubule-associated proteins and by drugs that stabilize or destabilize them, with significant implications for cancer therapy.

In timekeeping, MTs refers to Mountain Time, used in parts of the United States and Canada. Mountain Standard Time is UTC-7, and during daylight saving time it becomes Mountain Daylight Time at UTC-6. Observance of daylight saving time varies by jurisdiction; most of the Mountain Time region observes it, while some areas, most notably most of Arizona, do not.

Other uses of MTs exist but are more specialized and context-dependent, including acronyms in fields such as transportation, information technology, and linguistics. Because MTs can refer to multiple concepts, clarifying the intended meaning usually depends on the surrounding subject matter.