Cell Division Machinery and Disease

Nano, Maddalena, Basto, Renata, Maddalena Nano, Renata Basto

Monica Gotta, Patrick Meraldi

Development requires cell proliferation, differentiation and spatial organization of daughter cells to occur in a highly controlled manner. The mode of cell division, the extent of proliferation and the spatial distribution of mitosis allow the formation of tissues of the right size and with the correct structural organization. All these aspects depend on cell cycle duration, correct chromosome segregation and spindle orientation. The centrosome, which is the main microtubule-organizing centre (MTOC) of animal cells, contributes to all these processes. As one of the most structurally complex organs in our body, the brain is particularly susceptible to centrosome dysfunction. Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH), primordial dwarfism disease Seckel syndrome (SCKS) and microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (MOPD-II) are often connected to mutations in centrosomal genes. In this chapter, we discuss the consequences of centrosome dysfunction during development and how they can contribute to the etiology of human diseases.