[Dynamics of symmetric and asymmetric mitosis and cytokinesis]

During cell division the bipolar microtubular mitotic spindle ensures faithful segregation of daughter chromosomes and appearance of the cytokinetic membrane in an equatorial area separating genetically identical daughter cells. This process proceeds in consecutive morphological stages of prophase, metaphase, anaphase and cytokinesis. The progress in embryology and oncology concerns the new data about intervening mechanisms of rotation of a bipolar spindle in prophase and the change of the position of a mitotic spindle in anaphase that result in an asymmetric and differential mitoses. The aim of this review is a discussion of some of molecular and signaling mechanisms which regulate position of mitotic spindles in different types of cells. It turns out that the knowledge of receptor-dependent and receptor-independent molecular mechanisms controlling geometry and localization of cytokinesis in some human cells and in early stages of development of C. elegans opens the new important research fields.