Mitotic spindle morphogenesis: Ran on the microtubule cytoskeleton and beyond.
Assembly and disassembly of the mitotic spindle are essential for both chromosome segregation and cell division. The small G-protein Ran has emerged as an important regulator of spindle assembly. In this review, we look at the role of Ran in different aspects of spindle assembly, including its effects on microtubule assembly dynamics and microtubule organization. In addition, we examine the possibility of a spindle matrix and the role Ran might play in such a structure.
Goodman
B
B
Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
Zheng
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000502:physiology*; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein