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biosights

Dec 23, 2009

Mitotic spindle microtubules have long been thought to deliver a signal to the cell cortex that positions the cytokinetic cleavage furrow. A new study reveals that accurate cytokinesis still occurs in the absence of contact between microtubules and the plasma membrane, and suggests that multiple spatial cues combine to...


Nov 2, 2009

Melanosomes are specialized pigment-producing organelles that arise from the endosomal system. A new study reveals that the clathrin adaptor AP-1 and the kinesin motor KIF13A combine to sort melanosomal cargo and position endosomes near to developing melanosomes where they deliver the cargo via direct tubular contacts....


Nov 2, 2009

In this month’s biosights, we profile Elaine Fuchs, whose 30 years of research on mammalian skin development has recently been honored with the National Medal of Science and the 2009 L’Oréal-UNESCO award for Women in Science. The video includes excerpts from an interview with Dr. Fuchs, and was produced by Eun Choi...


Oct 5, 2009

Early stages of drosophila development are marked by rapid cell cycles that go directly from S phase to mitosis without any obvious gap phases. Having previously investigated the role that cyclins play in timing these divisions, McCleland et al. now look at the role that S phase plays in regulating cell cycle...


Sep 7, 2009

The contractile vacuole is an osmoregulatory organelle in protozoans that expels excess water from the cytosol through a complex sequence of membrane movements. A new study identifies a myosin motor protein that orchestrates these movements in Dictyostelia. This biosights episode presents the paper by Jung et al. from...