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Related Concept Videos

Centrioles and Centrosomes01:13

Centrioles and Centrosomes

4.3K
Most animal cells comprise a pair of centrioles together called a centrosome. The cell duplicates its centrosome and contains two centrosomes side-by-side, which begin to move apart during the prophase. As the centrosomes migrate to two different sides of the cell, microtubules start extending from each centrosome toward the other end. The mitotic spindle is composed of the centrosomes and their emerging microtubules.
Near the end of the prophase, also called late prophase or...
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Centrosome Duplication02:25

Centrosome Duplication

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The primary microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells is the centrosome. A centrosome has two cylindrical centrioles at its core. Each centriole consists of nine sets of three microtubules held together by proteins. The centrioles are positioned at right angles to each other and surrounded by a shapeless protein cloud called the pericentriolar matrix, or pericentriolar material (PCM).
To ensure that each daughter cell receives a centrosome after cell division, centrosome duplication...
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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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Histone Variants at the Centromere02:30

Histone Variants at the Centromere

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Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3...
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Spindle Assembly02:50

Spindle Assembly

3.9K
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.
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a...
3.9K
Mitosis and Cytokinesis01:35

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

8.3K
In eukaryotes, the cell division cycle is divided into distinct, coordinated cellular processes that include cell growth, DNA replication/chromosome duplication, chromosome distribution to daughter cells, and finally, cell division. The cell cycle is tightly regulated by its regulatory systems as well as extracellular signals that affect cell proliferation.
The processes of the cell cycle occur over approximately 24 hours (in typical human cells) and in two major distinguishable stages. The...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 9, 2025

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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Human centrosome organization and function in interphase and mitosis.

Alejandra Vasquez-Limeta1, Jadranka Loncarek1

  • 1Laboratory of Protein Dynamics and Signaling, NIH/NCI, Frederick 21702, MD, USA.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|April 10, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Human centrosome architecture and function are explored, detailing centriole structure and assembly. This review covers centrosome maturation and spindle pole organization in various cell types, highlighting recent advancements in nanoscale imaging.

Keywords:
CentrioleCentrosomeCentrosome maturationPericentriolar material

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Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins
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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 9, 2025

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
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Multi-Photon Laser Ablation of Cytoplasmic Microtubule Organizing Centers in Mouse Oocytes
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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Microscopy
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Centrosomes, crucial for cell division, were first described in the 19th century.
  • Centrioles, the core components of centrosomes, exhibit a unique nine-fold symmetrical microtubular structure.
  • Proteomics and genomic studies have identified numerous conserved proteins involved in centriole assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize current knowledge on human centrosome architecture.
  • To discuss the organization and function of centrosome components during interphase.
  • To review centrosome maturation and mitotic spindle assembly, including acentriolar cells.

Main Methods:

  • Review of historical electron microscopy studies.
  • Analysis of proteomics and genomic screening data.
  • Integration of recent super-resolution microscopy and cryo-tomography findings.

Main Results:

  • Detailed nanoscale architecture of human centrioles is presented.
  • Localization and function of centrosome components in interphase are discussed.
  • Recent literature on centrosome maturation and spindle pole assembly is emphasized.

Conclusions:

  • Super-resolution microscopy and cryo-tomography provide unprecedented detail of centrosome architecture.
  • Understanding centrosome organization is key to comprehending cell division in both centriolar and acentriolar cells.
  • This chapter synthesizes current research on centrosome structure, function, and assembly pathways.