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Spindle Assembly

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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.
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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 II

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...

The Mitotic Spindle

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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Meiotic Spindle Assessment in Mouse Oocytes by siRNA-mediated Silencing

Meiotic Spindle Assessment in Mouse Oocytes by siRNA-mediated Silencing

Published on: October 11, 2015

IL-6 and mouse oocyte spindle.

Jashoman Banerjee¹, Rakesh Sharma, Ashok Agarwal

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America. jbanerje@med.wayne.edu

|April 27, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Elevated Interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels, common in endometriosis, impair oocyte quality by damaging spindle and chromosomal structure. This finding clarifies a key mechanism linking inflammation to infertility.

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Last Updated: May 22, 2026

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Area of Science:

Reproductive Biology
Immunology
Cell Biology

Background:

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a key marker of inflammation.
Endometriosis and pelvic inflammation correlate with infertility.
The precise mechanism linking IL-6 to poor oocyte quality remains undefined.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the direct role of IL-6 in impairing oocyte spindle and chromosomal structure.
To explore IL-6 as a mediator of infertility associated with inflammatory conditions.

Main Methods:

Metaphase-II mouse oocytes were treated with varying concentrations of recombinant mouse IL-6 (50, 100, 200 ng/mL).
Indirect immunofluorescent staining was used to visualize microtubule and chromosomal alignment.
Fluorescence and confocal microscopy quantified structural alterations using a standardized scoring system.

Main Results:

IL-6 exposure resulted in a dose-dependent deterioration of microtubule and chromosomal alignment in oocytes.
Even low IL-6 concentrations (50 ng/mL) significantly affected spindle structure in 60% of oocytes.
Increased IL-6 concentrations led to a statistically significant worsening of these structural defects (P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

Elevated IL-6 levels in inflammatory conditions like endometriosis may compromise human oocyte fertilizing capacity.
Impairment of oocyte microtubule and chromosomal structure is a likely mechanism by which IL-6 contributes to infertility.
This research provides a mechanistic link between inflammatory markers and reproductive health outcomes.