Endosomal trafficking in animal cytokinesis

Abstract

Cytokinesis is the terminal stage of eukaryotic cell division in which the cytoplasm of a dividing cell is partitioned between two daughter cells. In animal cells, this multifaceted cellular process is spatially and temporally regulated and requires dramatic remodeling of the cytoskeleton and plasma membrane. Animal cytokinesis proceeds when the acto-myosin contractile-ring, formed at the equatorial cortex of a dividing cell, advances inward like a 'purse string' and is a major driving-force for the separation of the two daughter cells. In this review, we highlight many of the recent advances in our understanding of the function and mechanisms of action of the endocytic protein machinery that control animal cytokinesis. This includes regulation of endosome delivery and targeting by Rab and ARF GTPases, their effectors FIP3, FIP4 and JIP4, the exocyst and centralsplindlin complexes and phosphoinositides. Roles for endosomal SNAREs, BRUCE and the ESCRT pathway in the membrane remodeling processes that lead to abscission are also discussed.