Dividing Cells

Scientists have discovered the earliest known case of cell division in 550 million-year-old embryo fossils from South China.

Using X-ray imaging technologies that produce more detailed images than hospital-CT scans, the researchers were able to spot kidney-shaped structures inside the cells that might be nuclei or subcellular structures.

In some four-cell embryos, each cell had two kidney shaped subcellular structures, "so they were caught in the process of splitting during cell division," the researchers said.

The findings were detailed in the Oct. 13 issue of the journal Science.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: James Hagadorn