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Morphogenesis

Spindle in position for symmetric division

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 13, pages 278–279 (2012)Cite this article

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Woolner and Papalopulu investigated the control of spindle positioning in the spreading epithelium of Xenopus laevis embryos at the gastrula stage, when epiboly (a morphogenetic process during which the epithelium spreads to cover the embryo) takes place. During epiboly, spindles were found to be parallel to the epithelial plane, with a fixed position along the apicobasal axis of the cells, but kept rotating around their x and y axes within this plane until anaphase. This free rotation within the epithelial plane ensures tissue spreading in all directions.

Astral microtubules are known to control spindle positioning, so the authors asked whether their disruption would lead to random spindle positioning in symmetrically dividing cells. Interestingly, spindles shifted towards the apical membrane following pharmacological disruption of astral microtubules. Further studies with the microtubule-disrupting agent showed that microtubules contribute to spindle positioning by opposing apically directed forces.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Woolner, S. & Papalopulu, N. Spindle position in symmetric cell divisions during epiboly is controlled by opposing and dynamic apicobasal forces. Dev. Cell 8 Mar 2012 (doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2012.01.002)

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  1. Maria Papatriantafyllou
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Papatriantafyllou, M. Spindle in position for symmetric division. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 13, 278–279 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm3329

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm3329

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