Re-evaluating centrosome function

Over the past 100 years, the centrosome has risen in status from an enigmat ic organelle, located at the focus of microtubules, to a key player in cell -cycle progression and cellular control. A growing body of evidence indicat es that centrosomes might not be essential for spindle assembly, whereas re cent data indicate that they might be important for initiating S phase and completing cytokinesis. Molecules that regulate centrosome duplication have beer identified, and the expanding list of intriguing centrosome-anchored activities, the functions of which have yet to be determined, promises cont inued discovery.