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Review
. 2004 Feb 2;164(3):347-51.
doi: 10.1083/jcb.200310112.

Cleavage furrow positioning

Michael Glotzer  1
Affiliations
Review

Cleavage furrow positioning

Michael Glotzer. J Cell Biol. .

Abstract

To complete the cell cycle, the cleavage furrow draws the plasma membrane toward the cell center, pinching the cytoplasm into two lobes that are subsequently separated into two cells. The position of the cleavage furrow is induced by the mitotic spindle during early anaphase. Although the mechanism of cleavage furrow positioning is not understood at a molecular level, recent results suggest that it might be mediated by local relief from the inhibitory effects of microtubules.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Three schematic models for cleavage furrow positioning. See text for details.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Experimental evidence that furrow positioning may result from local relief from microtubule-dependent inhibition of furrow formation. (A) Stabilization of the microtubule-severing complex katanin leads to microtubule shortening and ectopic furrowing. (B) Either central spindle assembly or spindle elongation are sufficient to induce furrow formation, but when both pathways are inhibited, no furrow formation occurs. (C) In mammalian cells, a subset of the microtubules in the vicinity of the furrow are less dynamic (purple) than elsewhere in the cell. (D) Model for furrow positioning.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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