Mechanisms of Cytokinesis: A Critical Review

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Abstract
Current theories of cytokinesis are reviewed and critically analyzed. The expanding membrane theory and the theory of astral cleavage are shown to be unsatisfactory. Mechanisms which appear to have general validity are: (1) rounding up of cells as a result of the contraction of an actomysin-like substance in the cortex; (2) relaxation of polar cortex permitting continued equatorial contraction to cause furrowing; (3) new membrane formation. It is possible to describe cytokinesis in all cells, plant and animal, in terms of varying dominance of these factors in different cells.