Pollard TD. Nine unanswered questions about cytokinesis.
J Cell Biol 2017;
216:3007-3016. [PMID:
28807993 PMCID:
PMC5626534 DOI:
10.1083/jcb.201612068]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Experiments on model systems have revealed that cytokinesis in cells with contractile rings (amoebas, fungi, and animals) depends on shared molecular mechanisms in spite of some differences that emerged during a billion years of divergent evolution. Understanding these fundamental mechanisms depends on identifying the participating proteins and characterizing the mechanisms that position the furrow, assemble the contractile ring, anchor the ring to the plasma membrane, trigger ring constriction, produce force to form a furrow, disassemble the ring, expand the plasma membrane in the furrow, and separate the daughter cell membranes. This review reveals that fascinating questions remain about each step.
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