Centrioles: active players or passengers during mitosis?

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Centrioles are microtubule (MT) triplet cylinders crucial for centrosome and cilia formation in eukaryotes.
• Historically, centrosomes were considered essential for cell division, but recent studies question this role.
• Centriole inheritance, including de novo formation, presents complex biological questions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the structure, distribution, and historical understanding of centrioles.
• To clarify the role of centrioles and centrosomes in mitosis and cell division.
• To discuss centriole inheritance mechanisms and their implications.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of observational and functional studies on centrioles.
• Analysis of centriole structure and distribution across the eukaryotic tree of life.
• Historical perspective on the study of centrosomes and cell division.

Main Results:

• Centrosomes, containing centrioles, are not always essential for mitosis.
• Centriole structure and distribution vary across eukaryotes.
• Centriole inheritance, especially in parthenogenetic species, is a key area of investigation.

Conclusions:

• Centrioles play vital roles in organizing centrosomes and cilia.
• The essentiality of centrosomes for mitosis is debated and context-dependent.
• Further research into centriole function and inheritance is warranted.