A microtubule-independent network of proteins called the spindle matrix is involved in assembling mitotic and meiotic spindles, but whether the matrix makes a mechanical contribution to spindle shape is unclear. Gatlin et al. manipulate spindles with microneedles to directly probe the mechanical properties of the spindle matrix. This biosights episode presents the paper by Gatlin et al. from the February 22, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with lead author Jay Gatlin. Produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.
See the related paper at: http://jcb.rupress.org/cgi/content/full/188/4/481
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