Mitotic Origins of Chromosomal Instability in Colorectal Cancer

Mitosis is a crucial part of the cell cycle. A successful mitosis requires the proper execution of many complex cellular behaviors. Thus, there are many points at which mitosis may be disrupted. In cancer cells, chronic disruption of mitosis can lead to unequal segregation of chromosomes, a phenomenon known as chromosomal instability. A majority of colorectal tumors suffer from this instability, and recent studies have begun to reveal the specific ways in which mitotic defects promote chromosomal instability in colorectal cancer.