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Colchicine causes microtubules to depolymerise. During cell division at the metaphase stage condensed chromosomes line up and are then pulled apart to either pole by microtubules. Hence adding colchicine to a cell culture stops cells completing mitosis. This is useful as a means of accumulating metaphases in the culture before harvesting. Typically colchicine (or the less toxic colcemid) is added about 30mins to 1 hour before harvesting, varying depending on cell type, species etc.

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16y ago

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