Cytokinesis: Robust cell shape regulation.
Cytokinesis, the final step of cell division, is a great example of robust cell shape regulation. A wide variety of cells ranging from the unicellular Dictyostelium to human cells in tissues proceed through highly similar, stereotypical cell shape changes during cell division. Typically, cells first round up forming a cleavage furrow in the middle, which constricts resulting in the formation of two daughter cells. Tight control of cytokinesis is essential for proper segregation of genetic and cellular materials, and its failure is deleterious to cell viability. Thus, biological systems have developed elaborate mechanisms to ensure high fidelity of cytokinesis, including the existence of multiple biochemical and mechanical pathways regulated through feedback. In this review, we focus on the built-in redundancy of the cytoskeletal machinery that allows cells to divide successfully in a variety of biological and mechanical contexts. Using Dictyostelium cytokinesis as an example, we demonstrate that the crosstalk between biochemical and mechanical signaling through feedback ensures correct assembly and function of the cell division machinery.
Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States.
Vasudha
V
Srivastava
Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States.
Pablo A
PA
Iglesias
Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States. Electronic address: dnr@jhmi.edu.
Douglas N
DN
Robinson
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D048430:Cell Shape; D048749:Cytokinesis; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D024462:Myosin Type II / Q000378:metabolism
D024462:Myosin Type II
Actomyosin contractility; Cell mechanics; Control system; Cytokinesis; Feedback