Sliding filaments and mitotic spindle organization.

Mitosis depends upon the action of the mitotic spindle, a subcellular machine that uses microtubules (MTs) and motors to assemble itself and to coordinate chromosome segregation. Recent work illuminates how the motor-driven poleward sliding of MTs - nucleated at centrosomes, chromosomes and on pre-existing MTs - contributes to spindle assembly and length control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]