20.2 Importance of Microtubules

In order for a plant to grow, its cells must grow AND divide.  Mitosis is the name given to the cell division process.  (This is not to be confused with meiosis which occurs in pollen and egg cells.) Mitosis happens quite rapidly in plant meristematic tissue located at the tips of roots and shoots.   During mitosis a mother cell’s chromosomes are replicated and in the end, both daughter cells will receive one copy of each chromosome.  Spindle fibers are responsible for separating these chromosomes and spindle fibers are made of microtubule protein fibers.  Without microtubules, cell division cannot take place.