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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets
Published on: August 13, 2016
Mechanisms of spindle assembly and size control
Gabriel Guilloux1, Romain Gibeaux1
1Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR [(Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes)] - UMR 6290, F-35000 Rennes, France.
Abstract:
The spindle is crucial for cell division by allowing the faithful segregation of replicated chromosomes to daughter cells. Proper segregation is ensured only if microtubules (MTs) and hundreds of other associated factors interact to assemble this complex structure with the appropriate architecture and size. In this review, we describe the latest view of spindle organisation as well as the molecular gradients and mechanisms underlying MT nucleation and spindle assembly. We then discuss the overlapping physical and molecular constraints that dictate spindle morphology, concluding with a focus on spindle size regulation.
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