Where are the centrioles located during interphase? Describe what happens to the centrioles during mitosis. What is the difference between the polar and the aster microtubules?
Two centrioles, each consisting of two small cylindrical bodies oriented at right angles to each other, are located outside the nucleus in an area referred to as the centrosome. During mitosis, the centrioles migrate to opposite poles of the dividing cell and the spindle, a system of microtubules that radiates in all directions from each centriole pair, forms. Those microtubules that form the basket like structure between the two centrioles and serve to organize chromosome movement during mitosis are called polar microtubules. The aster refers to the blindly ending microtubules radiating in the other directions.
