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Updated: Nov 3, 2025

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
Published on: September 20, 2019
High-Resolution Analysis of Centrosome Behavior During Mitosis
Vanessa Nunes1,2, Margarida Dantas1,2, Joana T Lima1
1Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Porto, Portugal.
Abstract:
Cell division requires a dynamic reorganization of cytoskeletal and nuclear components. One essential step is the separation of centrosomes, which allows the assembly of a microtubule-based mitotic spindle. This has to be spatially and temporally coordinated with other events such as adhesion complex disengagement, assembly of an actin-rich cell cortex and nuclear envelope breakdown (NEB), to ensure chromosome segregation fidelity. Previous methodologies often focused on a single event and failed to provide an integrated view of the process. In this chapter, we describe a method to study mitosis with high resolution, by analyzing the dynamic interplay between centrosomes, nucleus, and cell membrane, using a combination of live-cell imaging and micromanipulation with custom-designed computational tools.
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