Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, and they divide in order to grow and repair themselves. The process of cell division is complex and tightly regulated, and it is essential for the proper functioning of all organisms.

In order to better understand how cells divide, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have created an artificial cell cortex, a system that mimics the structure and function of the cell cortex, which is a thin layer of proteins that lies just beneath the cell membrane.

The artificial cell cortex is made of a network of microtubules, which are long, thin protein filaments. Microtubules are essential for many cellular processes, including cell division. The researchers found that the artificial cell cortex could self-assemble and organize into a structure that closely resembles the natural cell cortex.

The researchers also found that the artificial cell cortex could support the growth and division of yeast cells. This suggests that the artificial cell cortex could be used to study how cells divide in a controlled environment, which could lead to new insights into the process of cell division.

The artificial cell cortex is a promising new tool for studying cell division. It has the potential to help researchers understand how cells divide and how cell division is regulated. This knowledge could lead to new treatments for diseases that are caused by cell division defects, such as cancer.

Source:

* [Researchers create artificial cell cortex, a system to study how cells divide](https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/03/413696/researchers-create-artificial-cell-cortex-system-study-how-cells-divide)