Chapter Five

I was not finding any helpful information on the vacuole but it’s function seems to just be for processing waste so I will leave it out 

Mi

There are three types of spindle microtubules

There are three subregions in Mi but before I get into that..

What is a spindle?

a spindle is a protein structure that divides a cell's genetic material during cell division. The spindle is made up of spindle fibers, which are long polymers

Kinetochore microtubules: Attach chromosomes to the spindle pole by binding to the kinetochore, a protein complex at the centromere of each chromosome

Interpolar microtubules: Extend from opposite sides of the spindle and overlap in the middle

Astral microtubules: Extend from the spindle pole toward the cell membrane, anchoring the spindle poles to the cell membrane. Astral microtubules help position the spindle correctly and control the plane of cell division

Its role is to separate the chromosomes. 

What happens when chromosomes are separated?

Chromosome segregation occurs at two separate stages during meiosis

What is meiosis?

Producing cells with half the genetic information 

The spindle fibres attach to chromosomes during metaphase

What is metaphase?

the nucleus dissolves and the cell's chromosomes condense and move together

and pull the chromatids towards opposite poles during anaphase

What is anaphase?

each pair of chromosomes is separated into two identical, independent chromosomes

the kinetochore microtubules (K)

Kinetochores are large protein assemblies that connect chromosomes to microtubules of the mitotic and meiotic spindles

polar microtubules (P)

the polar microtubules that reach across the cell and interact with one another to help maintain the separation of the centrosomes

What are centrosomes?

and defining the overall length of the spindle, and the aster microtubules that are generally short,

What are aster microtubules?

radiating out from, and stabilizing the centrosome