Nova The Centrosome – 150 Years of Research (Cell Biology Research Progress)

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of current knowledge on the centrosome. It opens with a historical overview of the centrosome’s discovery and its structural characterization at the light microscopy level. The ultrastructure of the centrosome is detailed, including an in-depth examination of centrioles and basal bodies as two forms of a single organelle. Special emphasis is placed on structures associated with centriolar cylinders - subdistal and distal appendages. A dedicated section explores the centrosome’s key function as a basal body in the formation of cilia and flagella. The dynamic behavior of the centrosome throughout the cell cycle is thoroughly investigated, encompassing its duplication, separation, and reorganization in mitotic cells. The work systematizes diverse mechanisms of centriole formation, including both templated assembly on pre-existing mother centrioles and de novo generation. Significant attention is given to the coordination of centriolar and cell cycles, the mechanisms ensuring strict control of procentriole number, and the stages of procentriole growth. The central role of the centrosome in organizing the cellular microtubule system is comprehensively elucidated. The book culminates in the formulation of 16 principal postulates of centrosomal biology, consolidating fundamental principles of centrosome organization and function and framing future research directions. Appendices include a detailed glossary and extensive bibliography.