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Spindle dynamics and orientation depends in forge generators configuration

POSTER

Abstract

During cell division, the mitotic spindle forms inside cells and segregates chromosomes. The spindle's position sets the division plane, which is essential for proper growth and development. Force mechanisms regulating the position of the spindle are not yet understood. Here, we develop a coarse-grained model of spindles in cells, which accounts for microtubule dynamics, pulling forces from cortically bounded motor proteins, and fluid drag. We show that the spindle's resistance to rotation is largely driven by pulling forces from the motor proteins rather than the drag imposed by the cytoplasm. We also show that the arrangement of motor proteins affects the spindle's resistance to rotation for configurations where multiple motors stack at the same region, the spindle's resistance to rotation significantly reduces. Our findings are consistent with measurements in human tissue culture cells, where the spindle resistance to the rotation has been quantified.

Publication: One upcoming paper with this results. Not submitted yet.

Presenters

  • Vicente J Gomez Herrera

    New York University

Authors

  • Vicente J Gomez Herrera

    New York University

  • Michael J Shelley

    Courant Inst. (NYU), Flatiron Inst. (SF), Flat Iron Institute

  • Reza Farhadifar

    Flatiron Institute

  • Daniel J Needleman

    Harvard University

  • Maya Anjur-Dietrich

    MIT