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Related Concept Videos

Studying the Cytoskeleton01:17

Studying the Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...
Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

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. 
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
The Mitotic Spindle02:27

The Mitotic Spindle

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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Formation of Intermediate Filaments00:57

Formation of Intermediate Filaments

Intermediate filaments are cytoskeletal proteins with higher tensile strength and flexibility than microfilaments and microtubules. Unlike the other two cytoskeletal proteins, intermediate filament formation lacks the enzymatic activity to hydrolyze nucleotides like ATP and GTP to generate energy for polymerization. Therefore, the formation of intermediate filaments is multistep self-assembly. The involvement of any accessory proteins in intermediate filament formation has not yet been reported.
Disassembly of Intermediate Filaments01:35

Disassembly of Intermediate Filaments

Intermediate filaments (IFs) do not undergo spontaneous disassembly. Enzymes, kinases, and phosphatases add and remove phosphates from specific sites to regulate their disassembly. The IF concentration in the cytoplasm also regulates the disassembly. If the concentration crosses a threshold, it activates the protein kinases in the vicinity, allowing the phosphorylation of IFs.
Keratin proteins, found at the cell periphery near cell junctions, undergo a cycle of assembly and disassembly. In Type...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging
09:52

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging

Published on: January 31, 2019

Atomic force microscopy identifies filamentous structures comprising mitotic chromosomes.

Moeri Suzuki1, Motoko Takahashi2, Toru Hirota2

  • 1Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Biomedical Research (Tokyo, Japan)
|May 24, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mitotic chromosomes are filamentous structures. Atomic force microscopy revealed that chromokinesin KIF4A and histone deacetylation regulate filament width and spacing, offering new nanoscale insights into chromosome organization.

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Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Probing The Structure And Dynamics Of Nucleosomes Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging
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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Chromosomes undergo significant structural changes during the cell cycle, particularly during mitosis.
  • Chromatin fiber assembly into condensed chromosomes involves proteins like condensin and histone modifications.
  • Detailed nanoscale morphology of chromatids is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nanoscale structure of mitotic chromosomes using atomic force microscopy.
  • To determine the roles of chromokinesin KIF4A and histone deacetylation in chromosome assembly.

Main Methods:

  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to examine liquid-preserved mitotic chromosomes.
  • Quantitative analysis was performed on chromosomes from KIF4A-depleted cells and cells with inhibited histone deacetylase.
  • AFM allowed detection of nanoscale structural alterations beyond optical microscopy resolution.

Main Results:

  • Mitotic chromosomes are composed of interconnected thin filamentous structures.
  • KIF4A depletion and histone deacetylase inhibition altered filament width and inter-filament spacing.
  • These findings suggest KIF4A and histone deacetylation regulate chromosome assembly at different hierarchical levels.

Conclusions:

  • Atomic force microscopy provides novel morphological insights into mitotic chromosome organization.
  • KIF4A and histone deacetylation are key regulators of nanoscale chromosome structure.
  • This study advances understanding of the hierarchical assembly of mitotic chromosomes.