niertubuli

Niertubuli are a hypothetical class of intracellular tubular organelles proposed in speculative biology as a possible component of cellular transport systems. They are described as slender, membrane-bound tubules that may run through the cytoplasm, often in bundles, and connect to other organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. The concept is used in theoretical discussions about intracellular logistics and nerve-like signaling at the cellular level.

The term combines elements intended to evoke nerve-like properties with the Latin tubulus, meaning small tube; it was coined by a science educator in 2016. In imagined morphology, niertubuli are cylinders with luminal diameters on the order of tens of nanometers and lengths of up to several micrometers. Their walls are envisioned to embed selective channel proteins and scaffolding components, and they are thought to originate from specialized tubulin-like polymers that can fuse with the ER membrane during certain metabolic states.

Occurrence and evidence for niertubuli remain unresolved. There is no empirical observation or experimental confirmation of these structures in real organisms. They are discussed primarily within theoretical models and science communication as a tool to illustrate possible solutions to intracellular transport challenges and the idea that signaling could be organized in compact cellular environments.

Potential roles proposed for niertubuli include targeted transport of metabolites and signaling lipids, spatial coordination of metabolic flux, and coordination between organelles. However, due to the lack of experimental data, niertubuli remain speculative, and some researchers view them as a conceptual thought experiment rather than a verified cellular component. See also: neurites, microtubules, tubular networks.