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Related Concept Videos

Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis. 
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis. 
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
The Mitotic Spindle02:27

The Mitotic Spindle

The mitotic spindle—or spindle apparatus—is a eukaryotic, cytoskeletal structure made up of long protein fibers called microtubules. Formed during cell division, the spindle separates sister chromatids and moves them to opposite ends of a parental cell, where the now individual chromosomes are distributed to two daughter cell nuclei.
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures bipolar mitotic...
The Mitotic Spindle02:27

The Mitotic Spindle

The mitotic spindle—or spindle apparatus—is a eukaryotic, cytoskeletal structure made up of long protein fibers called microtubules. Formed during cell division, the spindle separates sister chromatids and moves them to opposite ends of a parental cell, where the now individual chromosomes are distributed to two daughter cell nuclei.
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures bipolar mitotic...
Spindle Assembly02:50

Spindle Assembly

Spindle assembly occurs through three, often coexisting, pathways – the centrosome-mediated pathway, the chromatin-mediated pathway, and the microtubule-mediated pathway – collectively contributing to form a robust spindle apparatus.
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a microtubule array...
The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint02:19

The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint

The spindle assembly checkpoint is a molecular surveillance mechanism ensuring the fidelity of chromosome segregation during anaphase. The checkpoint monitors the completion of all the prerequisite steps before chromosome segregation to determine whether the segregation process should proceed or be delayed.
Many proteins function together to control the spindle assembly checkpoint. Mutations affecting these proteins may allow cells to proceed into anaphase prematurely, resulting in the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets
10:52

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

Published on: August 13, 2016

External forces control mitotic spindle positioning.

Jenny Fink1, Nicolas Carpi, Timo Betz

  • 1Institut Curie, CNRS UMR 144, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France.

Nature Cell Biology
|June 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

External forces guide cell division. Researchers found that physical cues from the cell's environment control the orientation of the spindle, aligning daughter cells with the force field during mitosis.

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Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles
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Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
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Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations

Published on: September 20, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets
10:52

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

Published on: August 13, 2016

Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles
07:47

Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles

Published on: May 10, 2022

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

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Mechanobiology

Background:

  • Cellular response to mechanical forces is crucial for tissue development and maintenance.
  • While studied in interphase cells, the impact of forces on dividing cells is less understood.
  • The cell division axis is a key factor in tissue morphogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how physical micro-environmental parameters influence the cell division axis in human dividing cells.
  • To understand the role of external forces in directing cell division orientation during mitosis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized micro-manipulation tools on human dividing cells.
  • Applied forces to the cell body to observe effects on spindle orientation.
  • Analyzed dynamic subcortical actin structures and their correlation with spindle movements.

Main Results:

  • External forces applied to the cell body were found to directly control spindle orientation during mitosis.
  • External constraints led to the polarization of dynamic subcortical actin structures.
  • Spindle movements were observed to correlate with these actin structure changes.

Conclusions:

  • Dividing cells utilize mechanical cues from their micro-environment to orient their division axis.
  • External force fields can guide the alignment of daughter cells, influencing tissue morphogenesis.