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Related Concept Videos

The Mitotic Spindle02:27

The Mitotic Spindle

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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...
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Spindle Assembly02:50

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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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The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint02:19

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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.
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The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint02:19

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 4, 2026

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

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

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Concentrating on the mitotic spindle.

Paul S Maddox1, Anne-Marie Ladouceur2

  • 1Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 pmaddox@unc.edu.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|September 2, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A semipermeable organelle barrier defines the spindle region in eukaryotes. Molecular crowding, independent of microtubules, concentrates essential factors, refining models of spindle assembly and regulation.

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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

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The spindle apparatus, a dynamic microtubule structure, is essential for accurate chromosome segregation during eukaryotic cell division.
  • Understanding the mechanisms that regulate spindle assembly and function is crucial for comprehending cell division fidelity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the physical and molecular properties that define the spindle region during chromosome segregation.
  • To elucidate the role of molecular crowding in the spatial organization of factors within the spindle.

Main Methods:

  • The study likely involved advanced microscopy techniques to visualize the spindle apparatus and surrounding cellular environment.
  • Biochemical assays may have been employed to assess the concentration of specific proteins and molecules within the spindle region.
  • Experimental manipulations could have been used to perturb or analyze the effects of molecular crowding.

Main Results:

  • A semipermeable organelle barrier was identified as demarcating the spindle area.
  • Molecular crowding was found to be a significant factor in enriching and/or retaining crucial components within the spindle region.
  • This effect of molecular crowding was observed to be independent of microtubule presence.

Conclusions:

  • The findings introduce a novel concept of an organelle barrier contributing to spindle organization.
  • Molecular crowding emerges as a key mechanism, alongside microtubule dynamics, in regulating the composition and function of the spindle.
  • These results necessitate an update to current models of spindle assembly and regulation, incorporating the influence of compartmentalization and crowding.