Microtubules: Nature's smartest mesogens — a liquid crystal model for cell division

Abstract

It is proposed that the process of cell division by mitosis involves virtually the entire contents of the cell assuming a liquid crystalline state and that the mitotic spindle can be modelled in terms of the known properties of nematic phases. The key molecules involves in the process are tubulin units which self-assemble to produce mircotubules. © 2006, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.