Organelle dynamics during cell division

Abstract

Many organelles in plant cells show a more or less random distribution in the interphase cell but assume very specific positions during mitosis and/or cytokinesis. Most prominent among these is the Golgi apparatus which is thought to provide the majority of raw materials for the assembly of the forming cell plate. However, the localization of other organelles also seems to indicate specific functions during cell division. In addition, organelle positioning mediated by the actin cytoskeleton has been implicated in equal inheritance of organelles by the daughter cells. This review summarizes the current knowledge of dynamic organelle positioning during mitosis and cytokinesis and discusses the mechanisms responsible for the observed localizations. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.