Scientists Deconstruct Cell Division
Sunday, February 8, 2009 - 14:14
in Biology & Nature
The last step of the cell cycle is the spectacularly dynamic and complicated mitosis phase, which leads to the duplication of one mother cell into two daughter cells. In mitosis, fibrous structures called spindles form. Scientists have tried for years to unravel the process of spindle assembly. Now, researchers have found that two proteins used in other functions -- dynein and Nudel -- are essential to regulate assembly of the spindle matrix.