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Determining the Plane of Cell Division

Determining the Plane of Cell Division

Positioning the cell division plane is a critical step during development and cell differentiation, particularly during mitosis when the plane is essential for determining the size of the two daughter cells. The cell division plane is perpendicular to the plane of chromosome segregation, but different types of organisms have different cell division mechanisms to suit their morphology and function.
Animal cells
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Live Imaging of Mitosis in the Developing Mouse Embryonic Cortex

Live Imaging of Mitosis in the Developing Mouse Embryonic Cortex

Published on: June 4, 2014

Mitotic Cortical Waves Predict Future Division Sites by Encoding Positional and Size Information.

Shengping Xiao¹, Cheesan Tong¹, Yang Yang²

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117557, Singapore.

Developmental Cell

|November 22, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cell division uses dynamic cortical waves of Cdc42 and FBP17 to predict division sites and ensure proper furrow formation, integrating cell size information during mitosis.

Keywords:

F-BAR adhesion dynamical system furrow positioning mitosis multipolar division single-cell pattern size sensing spiral waves target waves

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Last Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Live Imaging of Mitosis in the Developing Mouse Embryonic Cortex

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Published on: June 4, 2014

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

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Published on: August 13, 2016

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

Area of Science:

Cell biology
Biophysics

Background:

Dynamic spatial patterns like traveling waves can encode information in biological systems.
Their role in higher eukaryotes, particularly during cell division, remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of dynamic spatial patterns in cell division.
To identify the molecular players and mechanisms involved in spatial information encoding during mitosis.

Main Methods:

Live-cell imaging of protein dynamics (Cdc42, FBP17) during mitosis in adherent cells.
Analysis of wave properties (frequency, wavelength) and their relationship to cell size.
Perturbation experiments involving microtubule dynamics and inhibitory signals.

Main Results:

Concentric target or spiral waves of active Cdc42 and FBP17 emerge at mitosis onset.
These mitotic waves predict cell division sites and initiate furrow assembly.
Wave properties exhibit size-dependent scaling, and microtubule dynamics are crucial for wave positioning.
Spindle and microtubule-independent signals ensure single furrow formation.

Conclusions:

Metaphase cortical waves act as early spatial cues for division-plane specification.
These waves integrate positional and cell size information for adhesion-dependent cytokinesis.
The findings reveal a novel mechanism for spatial information encoding in cell division.