Spindle disassembly

The dynamic rearrangements of microtubules as cells exit mitosis are shown in these movies of anaphase cells. Notice the rapid elongation of astral microtubules (Movie 1), the fragmentation of the centrosome (Movie 2) and the release and transport of individual centrosomal microtubules (Movies 3-5). In movies 4 and 5, photoactivation marks were made on microtubules in cells expressing a photoactivatable variant of GFP linked to tubulin. The marks move toward the periphery indicating microtubule transport. For more information see: Rusan and Wadsworth, Journal of Cell Biology (2005) 168:21-28. Full-text available (PDF,12.9MB).

Click on a thumbnail image to view the corresponding movie clip. (You will need QuickTime 7 to view these movies.)

		Movie 1: Astral Microtubule Elongation in Anaphase
		Movie 2: Centrosome Fragmentation
		Movie 3: Microtubule Release from the Centrosome
		Movie 4: Microtubule Release and Transport: Photoactivation in Anaphase
		Movie 5: Photoactivation at the centrosome in Metaphase

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