The machinery that separates chromosomes during cell division has been shown to operate using principles similar to those found in liquid crystal displays, according to a study published today by bioengineer.org. Researchers have long sought to understand how the mitotic spindle, a structure composed of microtubules and motor proteins, accurately segregates genetic material during cell division. The new research suggests the spindle self-organizes like an “active liquid crystal,” a state of matter where elongated, dynamic units generate internal forces.
During cell division, the mitotic spindle aligns and separates duplicated chromosomes, ensuring each daughter cell receives a complete genetic blueprint. Errors in this process can lead to a range of severe health consequences, including infertility, genetic disorders and cancer. Despite decades of investigation into the spindle’s components and functions, the mechanism behind its self-organization remained a significant scientific challenge.
The research team adopted an interdisciplinary approach, applying concepts from physics and materials science to model the spindle’s behavior. Liquid crystals, commonly used in electronic displays, align their elongated molecules in response to external electric fields. However, biological active liquid crystals, like the mitotic spindle, are more complex. They consist of molecular filaments – microtubules – that utilize energy to generate movement and exert forces.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2020 further detailed how active forces shape the metaphase spindle, a specific stage of cell division. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, the Center for Systems Biology Dresden, and the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems demonstrated a mechanical instability driven by these active forces contributes to the spindle’s characteristic shape. The study, led by David Oriola, Frank Jülicher, and Jan Brugués, found that the spindle behaves as an active liquid crystal.
Researchers integrated electron tomography and polarized light microscopy to demonstrate that an active liquid crystal theory quantitatively explains the collective behaviors of microtubules within human mitotic spindles. This allowed for the inference of key material properties at the organelle scale. The findings, published February 11, 2026, suggest that the spindle’s organization isn’t dictated by external forces, but rather emerges from the internal dynamics of its components.
Disruptions in spindle function have been linked to a variety of health problems, highlighting the importance of understanding its underlying mechanisms. The new research offers a framework for further investigation into the forces and interactions that govern spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. Further research is planned to explore the specific molecular mechanisms driving the active liquid crystal behavior of the mitotic spindle.
