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Related Concept Videos

Separation of Sister Chromatids02:17

Separation of Sister Chromatids

At the transition from prophase to metaphase, there is a reduction in cohesion along the chromosomal arms, resulting in the resolution of sister chromatids. However, residual cohesin connections remain to hold the sister chromatids together until the transition from metaphase to anaphase. The residual connection prevents any premature separation of sister chromatids, blocking the risks of aneuploidy within the daughter cells.
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...
Separation of Sister Chromatids02:17

Separation of Sister Chromatids

At the transition from prophase to metaphase, there is a reduction in cohesion along the chromosomal arms, resulting in the resolution of sister chromatids. However, residual cohesin connections remain to hold the sister chromatids together until the transition from metaphase to anaphase. The residual connection prevents any premature separation of sister chromatids, blocking the risks of aneuploidy within the daughter cells.
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...
Replicative Cell Senescence02:15

Replicative Cell Senescence

Replicative cell senescence is a property of cells that allows them to divide a finite number of times throughout the organism's lifespan while preventing excessive proliferation. Replicative senescence is associated with the gradual loss of the telomere — short, repetitive DNA sequences found at the end of the chromosomes. Telomeres are bound by a group of proteins to form a protective cap on the ends of chromosomes. Embryonic stem cells express telomerase — an enzyme that adds the telomeric...
Meiosis vs. Mitosis02:57

Meiosis vs. Mitosis

Cell division is necessary for growth and reproduction in organisms. Mitosis aids cell growth and development by dividing somatic cells. In contrast, meiosis causes the division of germ cells and plays an essential role in sexual reproduction. Due to their unique functional requirements, mitosis and meiosis differ from each other in multiple aspects.
Before the start of mitosis and meiosis I, the cell synthesizes DNA, resulting in two homologous copies of each chromosome. DNA synthesis is...
Meiosis II02:02

Meiosis II

Meiosis II entails cell division and segregation of the sister chromatids, resulting in the production of four unique haploid gametes. The steps for meiosis II are similar to mitosis, except that meiosis II occurs in haploid cells, whereas mitosis occurs in diploid cells.
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
Meiosis II01:57

Meiosis II

Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each containing...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
07:14

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations

Published on: September 20, 2019

Mitotic cell death by chromosome fragmentation.

Joshua B Stevens1, Guo Liu, Steven W Bremer

  • 1Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.

Cancer Research
|August 19, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Chromosome fragmentation is a novel cell death process where chromosomes degrade during metaphase. This mechanism, observed in cancer patients, eliminates unstable cells but may paradoxically cause cancer-associated genome aberrations.

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Cell Death Associated with Abnormal Mitosis Observed by Confocal Imaging in Live Cancer Cells
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Cell Death Associated with Abnormal Mitosis Observed by Confocal Imaging in Live Cancer Cells

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Rapid Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Mouse B Lymphocytes by PNA-FISH
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Rapid Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Mouse B Lymphocytes by PNA-FISH

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
07:14

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations

Published on: September 20, 2019

Cell Death Associated with Abnormal Mitosis Observed by Confocal Imaging in Live Cancer Cells
15:53

Cell Death Associated with Abnormal Mitosis Observed by Confocal Imaging in Live Cancer Cells

Published on: August 21, 2013

Rapid Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Mouse B Lymphocytes by PNA-FISH
07:54

Rapid Analysis of Chromosome Aberrations in Mouse B Lymphocytes by PNA-FISH

Published on: August 19, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cell death is crucial in cancer progression and therapy.
  • Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer.
  • Existing cell death pathways do not fully explain all observed cell death phenomena in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize chromosome fragmentation, a newly identified type of cell death.
  • To investigate the occurrence and implications of chromosome fragmentation in cancer.
  • To differentiate chromosome fragmentation from other known cell death mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of chromosome fragmentation in cell lines, tumors, and patient lymphocytes.
  • Analysis of cell viability following chromosome fragmentation.
  • Comparison of chromosome fragmentation with apoptosis and mitotic catastrophe.

Main Results:

  • Chromosome fragmentation is a distinct cell death process occurring during metaphase.
  • It involves progressive degradation of condensed chromosomes.
  • This process can occur spontaneously in genomically unstable cells or be induced by chemotherapy.
  • Chromosome fragmentation leads to cell death but is nonapoptotic and distinct from mitotic catastrophe.
  • It was observed in cancer cell lines, tumors, and patient lymphocytes.

Conclusions:

  • Chromosome fragmentation is an efficient, clinically relevant form of mitotic cell death.
  • It serves to eliminate genomically unstable cells.
  • Despite eliminating unstable cells, chromosome fragmentation may paradoxically contribute to cancer-associated genome aberrations.
  • Understanding this process may elucidate mechanisms of chromosomal pulverization.