Physical basis of spindle self-organization #MMPMID25468965
Brugués J; Needleman D
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014[Dec]; 111 (52): 18496-500 PMID25468965show ga
The spindle segregates chromosomes during cell division and is composed of microtubules and hundreds of other proteins, but the manner in which these molecular constituents self-organize to form the spindle remains unclear. Here we use a holistic approach, based on quantitative measurements in spindles of the spatiotemporal correlation functions of microtubule density, orientation, and stresses, to identify the key processes responsible for spindle self-organization. We show that microtubule turnover and the collective effects of local microtubule interactions, mediated via motor proteins and cross-linkers, can quantitatively account for the dynamics and the structure of the spindle. We thus reveal the physical basis of spindle self-organization and provide a framework that may be useful for understanding cytoskeletal function in vivo.