Spindle positioning: actin mediates pushing and pulling.
To divide asymmetrically, the mitotic spindle is moved from the cell center to the cortex, a process that requires astral microtubules and the microtubule-based motor dynein. New work examining spindle positioning in large oocytes shows that in these cells actin and actin polymerization plays a key role.
Bezanilla
Magdalena
M
Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 01003, USA.
Wadsworth
Pat
P
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004398:Dyneins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism*
D000199:Actins; D009218:Myosins; D004398:Dyneins