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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

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Quantitative Immunofluorescence Assay to Measure the Variation in Protein Levels at Centrosomes
Published on: December 20, 2014
Centrosome-associated NDR kinase regulates centrosome duplication
Alexander Hergovich1, Stefan Lamla, Erich A Nigg
1Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland.
Molecular Cell
|February 24, 2007
Summary
Human NDR kinases regulate centrosome duplication, a key process in cell division. This study reveals NDR
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Human NDR kinases are implicated in cancer but their specific functions are largely unknown.
- Centrosome duplication is a critical process for accurate cell division.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the function of mammalian NDR kinases in cellular processes.
- To investigate the role of human NDR in centrosome duplication.
Main Methods:
- Localization studies of endogenous NDR at centrosomes during the cell cycle.
- Functional assays using NDR overexpression, kinase-dead mutants, and siRNA-mediated depletion.
- Investigating the interplay between NDR and Cdk2 activity in centrosome amplification.
Main Results:
- Human NDR kinase localizes to centrosomes in a cell-cycle-dependent manner.
- NDR kinase activity is essential for proper centrosome duplication; its overexpression leads to overduplication.
- NDR-driven centrosome duplication requires Cdk2 activity.
Conclusions:
- This study identifies the first known function of a mammalian NDR kinase: direct contribution to centrosome duplication.
- The findings suggest a molecular link between NDR kinases, centrosome overduplication, and cancer development.
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The primary microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells is the centrosome. A centrosome has two cylindrical centrioles at its core. Each centriole consists of nine sets of three microtubules held together by proteins. The centrioles are positioned at right angles to each other and surrounded by a shapeless protein cloud called the pericentriolar matrix, or pericentriolar material (PCM).
To ensure that each daughter cell receives a centrosome after cell division, centrosome duplication...
To ensure that each daughter cell receives a centrosome after cell division, centrosome duplication...
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The primary microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells is the centrosome. A centrosome has two cylindrical centrioles at its core. Each centriole consists of nine sets of three microtubules held together by proteins. The centrioles are positioned at right angles to each other and surrounded by a shapeless protein cloud called the pericentriolar matrix, or pericentriolar material (PCM).
To ensure that each daughter cell receives a centrosome after cell division, centrosome duplication...
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Centrioles and Centrosomes
Most animal cells comprise a pair of centrioles together called a centrosome. The cell duplicates its centrosome and contains two centrosomes side-by-side, which begin to move apart during the prophase. As the centrosomes migrate to two different sides of the cell, microtubules start extending from each centrosome toward the other end. The mitotic spindle is composed of the centrosomes and their emerging microtubules.
Near the end of the prophase, also called late prophase or "prometaphase,"...
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As cells progress into mitosis, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the condensed chromosomes are exposed to the array of bipolar microtubules of the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore, a large, disc-shaped protein complex, is present at the centromere region of the sister chromatids and acts as a binding site for the microtubules. Usually, the plus-end of a single microtubule is embedded within the kinetochore. However, some kinetochores first establish lateral contact with the side-wall of a...

