Controlling multipolar divisions in multi-centrosome cells

Micropatterns were used by Kwon et al. to demonstrate that interphase cell adhesion pattern and cell shape have a direct influence on multipolar divisions in MDA-231 cancer cells containing an excess number of centrosomes. Cells on Y and O shaped fibronectin patterns had a three-fold higher percentage of multipolar divisions versus the control (no patterns), whereas plating cells on a H shaped pattern suppressed 50% of multipolar divisions versus the control. Thus a bipolar pattern (the H) bias cells into bipolar mitoses and a multipolar pattern (the Y or the O) bias the cells into mutipolar mitoses.

(Figure from Kwon et al.)