Sommaire:

The mitotic spindle is a microtubule (MT) based structure that sets the position of cell division. Its positioning is crucial for proper cell division and is highly regulated by hundreds of MT associated proteins and molecular motors. One of them is dynein, minus end directed motor protein that can be recruited at the membrane and pull on astral microtubules to position the spindle. In vivo, it is often difficult to assess the specific function of microtubules or its associated proteins in spindle formation and positioning.
Here, we reconstitute in vitro the interaction of two asters inside 3D water in oil emulsion droplets. We study the positioning of two centrosomes from which microtubules are nucleated, that exert pushing and/or dynein mediated pulling forces when reaching the cortex.
We show that very simple systems, involving only microtubule dynamics, confinement, pushing and pulling forces can lead to self-organized patterns that are biologically relevant. In particular, we reproduce a 'mitotic spindle' like organization with just these components.

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