Microtubules can bear enhanced compressive loads in living cells because of lateral reinforcement.

C. P. Brangwynne, F. C. MacKintosh, S. Kumar, N. A. Geisse, J. Talbot, L. Mahadevan, K. K. Parker, D. E. Ingber, and D. A. Weitz (2006). Microtubules can bear enhanced compressive loads in living cells because of lateral reinforcement.Journal of Cell Biology 173: 733-741. (PDF) (JCB Highlight) (Current Biology Dispatch)(F1000 Review)