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Related Concept Videos

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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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Microtubules are hollow cylindrical filaments having a diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length that varies from 200 nm to 25 μm. GTP-bound tubulin subunits form αβ-heterodimers for microtubule assembly. These core building blocks interact longitudinally, polymerizing into protofilaments. The protofilaments then interact with one another through lateral bonding forces to form stable cylindrical microtubules. These cylindrical filaments are dynamic as they undergo repeated...
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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets
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Cell shape modulates mitotic spindle positioning forces via intracellular hydrodynamics.

Jing Xie1, Javad Najafi1, Aude Nommick1

  • 1Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75013 Paris, France; Equipe Labellisée LIGUE Contre le Cancer, 75013 Paris, France.

Current Biology : CB
|January 4, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Cell shape influences the forces positioning the mitotic spindle during development. Elongated cells exert stronger forces, mediated by intracellular hydrodynamics, ensuring proper cell division and embryo morphogenesis.

Keywords:
cell divisioncell shapecytoplasmembryogenesisflowsforcesmitotic spindles

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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Mitotic spindle positioning is crucial for embryonic development and tissue morphogenesis.
  • Cell geometry significantly influences spindle orientation, typically aligning with the longest cell axis.
  • The dependence of intracellular forces on cell geometry for spindle positioning remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly measure forces maintaining mitotic spindle positioning in cells of varying shapes.
  • To investigate the relationship between cell geometry and the amplitude of spindle-associated forces.
  • To elucidate the role of intracellular hydrodynamics in geometry-dependent force regulation.

Main Methods:

  • In vivo magnetic tweezers were used to measure forces on the mitotic spindle in sea urchin cells.
  • Microfabricated chambers facilitated direct manipulation of cell shapes.
  • Cytoplasm flow analysis and hydrodynamic simulations were employed.

Main Results:

  • Spindle positioning is maintained by viscoelastic forces that increase with cell elongation.
  • Spindle-associated forces exhibit a dose-dependent increase with cell shape anisotropy.
  • Increased hydrodynamic coupling in elongated cells dampens cytoplasm flow and spindle mobility.

Conclusions:

  • Cell shape directly modulates spindle-associated forces through intracellular hydrodynamics.
  • A novel mechanism for shape sensing and division positioning mediated by hydrodynamics is proposed.
  • These findings have implications for understanding early embryo morphogenesis.