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| Cell cycle real time imaging: when once cell makes two |
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Authors:
Felipe Mora-Bermudez, Jan Ellenberg, Alexandra Manaia
Description:
In this activity, you will be able to look at how cells divide. Cell division, or mitosis is a basic mechanism essential to every organism. It is involved in a large span of biological phenomena from self-renewal to growth.
The central problem for a dividing cell is how to accurately separate and distribute genetic information stored in the nucleus, to ensure that each daughter cell receives an identical copy. So, the process of cell division must be tightly regulated.
In a first step, eukaryotic cells duplicate and condense their chromosomes. Then, they assemble specialized cytoskeletal proteins, the microtubules, and reorganize them in a spindle shaped structure, on which the chromosomes remain. The spindle pulls equivalent chromosome sets apart towards each future daughter cell. Finally, other cytoskeletal components, actin and myosin, split the cytoplasm in two, creating the daughter cells (cytokinesis). This cycle of duplication and division is called the cell cycle.
To observe mitosis in this activity, we have used cultured mammalian cells, in which chromosomes and microtubules were labelled with fluorescent dyes, allowing their visualization. We have observed and recorded the extraordinary choreography performed by these two major players during cell division.
Objective:
Learn the sequence of events involved in cell division.
Understand the importance of life imaging in modern
biology.
Biological Model:
Mammalian cells
Materials:
Tutorial: Cell division [PDF]
Protocol: Dual colour [PDF]
Results [PDF]
Glossary [PDF] |
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