title: Role of chromosomes in assembly of meiotic and mitotic spindles.
abstract: The assembly of a mitotic spindle requires the interaction of microtubules with chromosomes. As a cell enters mitosis, long microtubules are converted to short ones, as microtubules become unstable. Dynamic microtubules are then stabilised by chromosomes, forming a bipolar spindle. In this review, we discuss the different roles of kinetochores and chromosome arms during spindle assembly. Kinetochores, required for proper chromosomes segregation, capture microtubules and maintain attachment. Chromosome arms greatly enhance microtubule stability, and alone can be sufficient for spindle assembly.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Program, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tournebize
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hyman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018385:Centrosome / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin