A mitosis inhibitor is a medication that is designed to prevent mitosis in certain cells Why would these be helpful in the treatment of tumors.
Mitotic inhibitors are used in cancer treatment because cancer cells can grow and eventually spread through the body (metastasize) through continuous mitotic division. Thus, cancer cells are more sensitive to the inhibition of mitosis than normal cells.
Mitotic inhibitors are also used in cytogenetics (the study of chromosomes), where they stop cell division at a stage where chromosomes can be easily examined. Mitotic inhibitors are derived from natural substances such as plant alkali- and prevent cells from undergoing mitosis by disrupting microtubule polymerization, thus preventing cancerous growth.
Microtubules are long, ropelike proteins that extend through the cell and move cellular components around. Microtubules are long polymers made of smaller units (monomers) of the protein tubulin.
Microtubules are created during normal cell functions by assembling (polymerizing) tubulin components and are disassembled when they are no longer needed.
One of the important functions of microtubules is to move and separate chromosomes and other components of the cell for cell division (mitosis). Mitotic inhibitors interfere with the assembly and disassembly of tubulin into microtubule polymers.
