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Related Concept Videos

Condensins02:15

Condensins

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Condensins are large protein complexes that use ATP to fuel the assembly of chromosomes during mitosis. They transform the tangled, shapeless mass of post-interphase DNA into individualized chromosomes by compacting, organizing, and segregating chromosomal DNA.
The plant and animal cells contain two types of condensin complexes—condensin I and condensin II. Both complexes have five subunits: two SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) subunits, a kleisin subunit, and two HEAT-repeat...
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Cohesin protein complexes are a molecular glue that holds two sister chromatids together. They play an important role both in mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, all cohesin complexes present on the chromosomes are removed before the start of the anaphase stage.
Cohesin complexes in Meiotic Division
Meiosis involves two distinct rounds of chromosomal segregation and cell divisions— Meiosis I followed by Meiosis II – producing four daughter cells. Meiosis I includes the separation of...
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Mitosis and Cytokinesis01:35

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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.
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Meiosis II01:57

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Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each...
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Meiosis I01:49

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Meiosis is a carefully orchestrated set of cell divisions, the goal of which—in humans—is to produce haploid sperm or eggs, each containing half the number of chromosomes present in somatic cells elsewhere in the body. Meiosis I is the first such division, and involves several key steps, among them: condensation of replicated chromosomes in diploid cells; the pairing of homologous chromosomes and their exchange of information; and finally, the separation of homologous chromosomes by...
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Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

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During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis. 
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Updated: Jun 10, 2025

A Cell Free Assay to Study Chromatin Decondensation at the End of Mitosis
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How condensed are mitotic chromosomes?

Hide A Konishi1, Hironori Funabiki1

  • 1Laboratory of Chromosome and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|October 14, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mitotic chromosomes achieve remarkable compaction during cell division. New research reveals their nucleosome concentration reaches approximately 760 µM using advanced microscopy techniques.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Mitotic chromosomes undergo significant structural changes for accurate cell division.
  • Quantifying chromosome volume and density has been a persistent challenge in cell biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To accurately measure the volume and nucleosome concentration of mitotic chromosomes.
  • To provide new insights into chromosome compaction mechanisms during mitosis.

Main Methods:

  • Serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) was employed for high-resolution imaging.
  • Advanced imaging and analysis techniques were used to reconstruct and quantify chromosome structures.

Main Results:

  • Mitotic chromosomes were found to compact to a high nucleosome concentration.
  • The study reports a nucleosome concentration of approximately 760 µM in condensed mitotic chromosomes.

Conclusions:

  • The findings provide a precise measurement of mitotic chromosome compaction.
  • This quantitative data advances our understanding of the physical limits of DNA packaging within the cell nucleus.