The mitotic spindle is a large molecular machine that controls chromosome segregation and cytokinesis in animal and plant cells. A notable difference between animal and plant spindles lies in the centrosomes, potent microtubule nucleation centres that are present in animal cells but conspicuously absent in land plant cells. However, recent studies have uncovered the mechanism of centrosome-independent spindle organisation in both animal and plant cells. In this talk, I will present how cells are able to assemble a functional spindle without centrosomes. Three major subjects will be: 1) spindle pole focusing, 2) microtubule nucleation, and 3) spindle orientation.

References. 1) Ito and Goshima. J Cell Biol. 2015; Tungadi, Ito et at. J Cell Sci. 2017. 2) Nakaoka, Miki et al. Plant Cell. 2012; Nakaoka et al. Plant Cell. 2015. 3) Kosetsu et al. PNAS. 2017

Ph.D, 2002, Kyoto University (Prof. Mitsuhiro Yanagida)
Postdoc, 2002-2007, UCSF (Prof. Ronald Vale)
Designated associate professor, 2007–2010, Nagoya University
Professor, 2010–, Nagoya University