中心体は，がん幹細胞の非対称細胞分裂をコントロールするか

抄録

Asymmetric cell division (ACD) is a fundamental mechanism that balances self-renewal and differentiation in stem cells and is closely linked to tissue homeostasis and tumor development. The centrosome, a key organelle for microtubule organization and cell division, consists of a mother and a daughter centriole that differ in structure and maturation state. Increasing evidence suggests that this intrinsic asymmetry of centrosomes plays an important role in ACD. In human neuroblastoma cells, asymmetric cell division is accompanied by biased inheritance of centrosomes and recycling endosomes. Our recent studies show that the centrosomal protein, Odf2 (cenexin), regulates the asymmetric distribution of CD133-positive recycling endosomes during cytokinesis. Loss of Odf2 disrupts this asymmetry and converts ACD into symmetric cell division (SCD), generating two equivalent daughter cells. These findings indicate that centrosome maturity, mediated by Odf2, functions as a switch that determines cell fate during division. This review summarizes current knowledge on the relationship between centrosomes and ACD, with a focus on human neuroblastoma cells. We propose that the centrosome is not merely a structural component of the mitotic machinery but also a regulatory hub that controls stemness, differentiation, and cell fate decisions.