Imaging spotlight - How to divide without a ring: a mechanical ratchet drives unilateral cytokinesis

Posted by FocalPlane, on 10 February 2026

In this paper highlight, Jan Brugués and Alison Kickuth discuss the microscopy and microrheology techniques that they used in their research dissecting the mechanics of cytokinesis. What are the key results from your paper? Many early embryonic cells divide without forming a closed actomyosin ring, raising a fundamental mechanical puzzle: how can an open-ended, contractile