Slicing chromosomes leads to new insights into cell division

By using **ultrafast laser pulses** to slice off pieces of chromosomes and observe how the chromosomes behave, biomedical engineers at the University of Michigan have gained pivotal insights into mitosis, the process of cell division. Their findings could help scientists better understand **genetic diseases**, **aging** and **cancer**. Hunt’s group hypothesized that polar ejection forces should be proportional to the chromosome’s size, and therefore could be predictably changed by altering the size of the chromosomes. Using newts as a model organism, they cut off pieces of the chromosomes’ arms. More on "www.ns.umich.edu":[ http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=7179]

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