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Molecular Reproduction & Development Volume 80, Issue 7, July 2013 cover image
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.22094
Subject(s) - biology , anaphase , mitosis , embryo , metaphase , reproduction , genetics , chromosome segregation , cover (algebra) , microbiology and biotechnology , chromosome , gene , mechanical engineering , engineering
Chromosomes in a young one‐cell embryo are generally aligned at the metaphase plate (upper embryo), but this process can easily be disrupted. Inhibition of Polo‐like kinase 1 activity with BI 2536, for example, results in a disorganized spindle (lower embryo). This phenotype is also associated with an absence of α‐Tubulin (green) from the spindles, marked by γ‐tubulin (red), with misplaced condensed chromosomes (blue). Baran et al. (this issue) hypothesize that Plk1 activity is not essential for the entry to first mitosis, but is required for the events leading up to metaphase‐anaphase transition in one‐cell mouse embryo.