Abstract

Chromosome instability, which is equated to mitotic defects and consequential chromosome segregation errors, provides a formidable basis for the acquisition of further malignant phenotypes during tumour progression. Centrosomes have a crucial role in the formation of bipolar mitotic spindles, which are essential for accurate chromosome segregation. Mutations of certain oncogenic and tumour-suppressor proteins directly induce chromosome instability by disrupting the normal function and numeral integrity of centrosomes. How these proteins control centrosome duplication and function, and how their mutational activation and/or inactivation results in numeral and functional centrosome abnormalities, is discussed in this Review.

Author affiliations

1. Molecular Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
   Email: Kenji.Fukasawa@Moffitt.org

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