Cold-treated centrosome: isolation of centrosomes from mitotic sea urchin eggs, production of an anticentrosomal antibody, and novel ultrastructural imaging.

A novel isolation of centrosomes is described and it was used to both generate a centrosome-specific monoclonal antibody and to image with high-resolution low-voltage scanning electron microscopy the surface details of the isolated centrosome. At first mitotic prometaphase, sea urchin zygotes are chilled on ice overnight. While most of the microtubules disassemble, the mitotic centrosomes collapse into aggregated masses. These centrosomes have been isolated, and used to generate a monoclonal antibody, designated 4D2, which is reactive with interphase and mitotic centrosomes. 4D2 staining of centrosomes is similar, but not identical, to that of other centrosomal antibodies like Ah6 and 5051. Centrosomal material is detected as a compact sphere after cold treatment; upon recovery the sphere expands and undergoes the shape changes previously described [Mazia et al., 1987: J. Cell Biol. 105:206a] to eventually reorganize a normal mitotic apparatus.