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Updated: Jan 4, 2026

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Measurement of Microtubule Dynamics by Spinning Disk Microscopy in Monopolar Mitotic Spindles
Published on: November 15, 2019
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Mitotic Chromosomes in Live Cells Characterized Using High-Speed and Label-Free Optical Diffraction Tomography
Tae-Keun Kim1, Byong-Wook Lee2, Fumihiko Fujii3
1Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea. m996142@gmail.com.
Cells
|November 6, 2019
Summary
Mitotic chromosomes
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Biophysics
- Microscopy
Background:
- The cell nucleus contains dynamic subnuclear compartments like chromatin.
- Protein mobility within heterochromatin and mitotic chromosomes is not fully understood.
- Physicochemical properties of chromosomes during cell division require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify refractive index (RI), volume, and diffusion coefficient (D) of mitotic chromosomes.
- To investigate the relationship between chromosome properties and osmotic conditions.
- To understand chromosome dynamics during cell division.
Main Methods:
- Label-free optical diffraction tomography.
- Confocal laser-scanning microscopy.
- Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- Refractive index, volume, and diffusion coefficient of mitotic chromosomes were quantified.
- Variations in these parameters correlated with osmotic conditions.
- Chromosome compaction/decompaction showed linked changes in RI, volume, and protein mobility.
Conclusions:
- Osmotic changes influence mitotic chromosome physicochemical properties.
- Refractive index changes are consistent with diffusion coefficient changes.
- This study provides insights into chromosome structure and dynamics during mitosis.

