title: Mitotic membrane helps to focus and stabilize the mitotic spindle.
abstract: During mitosis, microtubules (MTs), aided by motors and associated proteins, assemble into a mitotic spindle. Recent evidence supports the notion that a membranous spindle matrix aids spindle formation; however, the mechanisms by which the matrix may contribute to spindle assembly are unknown. To search for a mechanism by which the presence of a mitotic membrane might help spindle morphology, we built a computational model that explores the interactions between these components. We show that an elastic membrane around the mitotic apparatus helps to focus MT minus ends and provides a resistive force that acts antagonistically to plus-end-directed MT motors such as Eg5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Yixian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Pablo A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Iglesias
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004548:Elasticity; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism*; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins