Scientists: Division of Cells in Moss and Mammals Is More Comparable Than Previously Imagined

Cells must divide several times in order for a new plant to form from seed.

Daughter cells can perform diverse functions and can vary in size.

Plants are presently being studied to know how they decide the plane of cellular division in this process known as mitosis.

Scientists have now established how the mitotic apparatus gets located in the plant cell by working with Physcomitrella, a moss plant.

Using moss cells, they were able to see an unanticipated mechanism that is critical for the location of the cell division site in plants.

Plants with movable needles were previously unknown

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski and Dr. Elena Kozgunova from the University of Freiburg collaborated with Prof. Dr. Nagoya University's Gohta Goshima are investigating how plants identify the plane of cellular division in this phase known as mitosis

To tackle this conundrum, the researchers used molecular biology to their advantage, deleting five genes from spreading earth moss (Physcomitrella) plants, as per ScienceDaily.

The researchers were aware that they resembled the animal gene of a molecule important in mitosis: the protein TPX2 is involved in mitotic spindle construction in animals.

The scientists saw mitosis in moss plants lacking the TPX2 genes under the microscope.

They were surprised to see that the spindles in these cells now migrated during cellular division in leafy shoots termed gametophores.

Spindle motion in plant tissue had never been observed previously, according to Kozgunova. Such cells split unevenly, resulting in deformities as the plant grew.

Cytoskeleton's tug-of-war

The researchers then manipulated the actin skeleton of the cells, demonstrating that microfilaments move the spindle fibers.

"It's a kind of tug-of-war between microtubules and actin that places the mitotic spindle inside the cell, and it would seem to be comparable to processes in animal cells," said Reski.

Similarly, actin filaments are required for spindle trafficking in animal tissue.

These discoveries are assisting researchers in determining which signals affect the destiny of cells as they mature.

They believed that this will lead to a better knowledge of plant development and, eventually, the capacity to control it.

Also Read: Cell Division May Prevent Cancer

How do plant cells divide?

The position of a preprophase (PPB) band of microtubules and actin filaments in the cell cortex predicts the partition plane in plant cells prior to mitosis, as per Nature.

The phragmoplast, an actin cytoskeleton component that controls the creation of the new cell wall during mitosis, interacts with the cortical region formerly held by the preprophase band to place the new wall there.

This connection necessitates actin, and new data suggests that myosins may also play a role.

The plane of division in asymmetrically dividing cells is linked with cell polarization, which has been demonstrated to be dependent on actin, the cell wall, and secretion.

Brick1 and Pangloss 1 are necessary for the polarity of the parent cell in unevenly cell divisions of the maize leaf epidermis, and two Discordia genes are essential for phragmoplast guidance to the old PPB location.

How do animal cells divide?

Cell division is classified into two types: mitosis and meiosis, as per medline plus.

When most people say "cell division," they're referring to mitosis, the process of creating new body cells.

Meiosis is the process through which egg and sperm cells are formed, while mitosis is a necessary step for life.

During mitosis, a cell repeats its whole contents, including its chromosomes, and divides into two identical daughter cells. Because this is such an important process, the phases of mitosis are meticulously regulated by certain genes.

When mitosis is not properly controlled, it can lead to health concerns such as cancer.