During mitosis, the entire content of the cell must be divided equally between two daughter cells before karyo- and cytokinesis are completed. How is this complex process accomplished? In the case of the Golgi, it was found many years ago in tissue culture cells that the characteristic stack-like organization of the Golgi fragmented at the onset of mitosis (Robbins and Gonatas 1964; Lucocq and Warren 1987), and that Golgi fragments were subsequently distributed to each daughter cell. The identity of these Golgi fragments and the mechanisms involved in Golgi fragmentation and in the segregation of membranes and Golgi contents to daughter cells are currently the subject of considerable study and debate.
In this issue of JCB, three papers are published on Golgi fragmentation during mitosis (Kano et al. 2000; Lowe et al. 2000...
