What is the role of microfilaments in cell division?

1 Answer
Jun 26, 2018

During cell division microtubules are the major constituents of mitotic spindles that are used to pull eukaryotic chromosomes apart.

Explanation:

Microtubules play a role in the migration of chromosomes to opposite ends of a mitosing cell during the anaphase. According to a hypothesis, microtubules are disassembled at the centromere by the removal of their subunits. This shortens the microtubules, drawing the chromosomes along.

A notable structure composed largely of microtubules is the mitotic spindle, used by eukaryotic cells to segregate their chromosomes during cell division. Cell division in a typical eukaryote finishes with the generation of a final cytoplasmic bridge between the two daughter cells, termed the mid body. This structure is built of microtubules that originally made up part of the mitotic spindle.