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. 2011 Feb;23(1):109-13.
doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2010.08.007.

Mechanisms of aneuploidy

Duane A Compton  1
Affiliations

Mechanisms of aneuploidy

Duane A Compton. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2011 Feb.

Abstract

Accurate chromosome segregation during cell division is essential for genome integrity. Errors in chromosome segregation are irreversible and lead to a state of aneuploidy where the number of chromosomes in a cell or organism is not a multiple of the haploid number of chromosomes. Aneuploidy reduces fecundity and is a frequent cause of inherited birth defects. In addition, aneuploidy is very common in solid tumors where it is associated with poor patient prognosis. Recent work has revealed the most common pathways by which chromosomes mis-segregate leading to aneuploidy. Moreover, answers to the key question of how cells respond to aneuploidy are beginning to emerge.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanisms for chromosome mis-segregation during cell division. Many mechanisms causing chromosome mis-segregation arise from defects in the attachments of spindle microtubules to kinetochores. (a) Errors in kinetochore-microtubule attachments occur spontaneously in early phases of mitosis but are efficiently corrected in normal cells to promote accurate chromosome segregation. (b) Extra centrosomes increase the frequency of kinetochore-microtubule attachment errors by inducing transient defects in spindle geometry. (c) Correction of erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments relies on release of improperly attached microtubules and hyperstable kinetochore-microtubule attachments reduces the efficiency of correction. (d) Defects in centromere cohesion disrupt the back-to-back geometric constraints on sister kinetochores which increases the formation rate of improper kinetochore-microtubule attachments.
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