title: Optical Control of Microtubule Dynamics in Time and Space.
abstract: Small molecule inhibitors of microtubule dynamics are widely used as cell biology research tools and clinically as cancer chemotherapeutics. By slight modification to the chemical structure of a known microtubule inhibitor, combretastatin A-4, Borowiak et al. develop a photoswitchable derivative that can be turned "on" and "off" with low-intensity light to spatially and temporally control microtubule dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Electronic address: oddex002@umn.edu.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Odde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050256:Antimitotic Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D016923:Cell Death; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects*; D008938:Mitosis; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D050256:Antimitotic Agents; D013267:Stilbenes