Mechanisms of chromosome segregation in metazoan cells

Despite over 100 year of research, the mechanisms that cells use to ensure the proper segregation of chromosomes during mitosis are still surprisingly obscure. However, recent high resolution video light microscopic studies of dividing cells are telling us new and important information about chromosome behavior. Molecular genetics is enabling us to build a more complete list of the components involved in chromosome segregation. And in vitro assays for chromosome segregation are providing information about the signals that control the equipartitioning of sister chromatids during cell division.