In a study that could help scientists better understand and manipulate cell division, RIKEN biologists have engineered artificial structures that replicate one of life’s most crucial processes—the precise division of packages of DNA known as chromosomes.

When a cell starts splitting into two daughter cells, its chromosomes align. The process of chromosome alignment can be likened to a high-stakes game of tug-of-war.

In a healthy cell, chromosomes line up at the center, each pulled by fibers extending from opposite sides of the cell. These fibers attach to kinetochores—anchors that ensure chromosomes are evenly pulled apart during cell division —at the center of the dividing structures.