title: Spotlight on mitosis: introduction.
abstract: Even before biochemical and genetic approaches were employed, many researchers were captivated and astounded by mitosis. Cell biologists have been enthralled by its sheer beauty for more than a century (Fig. 1). Yanagida, who probably contributed more to the genetic dissection of mitotic processes than any other scientist, described it as a "cellular festival", dramatically thrust between the humdrum chores of daily life. True enough; if the cell cycle were a theatrical performance, mitosis would be the final climatic act. In this Spotlight, a few of the exciting aspects of mitosis are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Washington Ave., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. Duncan.J.Clarke-2@umn.edu
authors.forename: Duncan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002842:Chromatids / Q000378:metabolism; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008938:Mitosis; D016196:S Phase