Research report 2015 - Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Defective cell division: How the cell compensates for mistakes
Authors
Norden, Caren; Dzafic, Edo; Strzyz, Paulina J.
Departments
The retina as a model to explore the cell biology of morphogenesis – from pseudostratified neuroepithelium to complex neuronal tissue (Caren Norden)
Summary
During cell division in animal cells, mistakes can occur, which can have serious consequences for a developing organ and organism. For example, if the nuclei of retinal progenitor cells do not move upwards in the cell before undergoing division, the two daughter cells cannot reintegrate into the tissue. Also, when parts of the centrosome – the regulator of cell division – are erroneously duplicated, abnormalities of cell division can occur. The research lab of Caren Norden wants to understand how cell biology drives morphogenesis.