Over two decades of high resolution observations on well preserved tissue have led to a new theory regarding cell division and cellular behavior. Contrary to dogma, cell division does not produce two identical daughter cells, instead mitosis is always asymmetrical producing daughter cells with differentially packaged chromatin. Chromatin asymmetry at cell division continues throughout the life of the cells and is integral in tissue formation and structure.
Initial observations continually showed patterns of light and dark cells as shown below.
Tissue treatment with a deacetylase inhibitor cancelled the light and dark effect, indicating that the difference in the appearance of the nuclei was due to differences in the chromatin packing. Asymmetric cells arise from asymmetric mitosis. Contrary to accepted dogma, mitotic division creates pairs of cells with differentially packaged chromatin. The differential chromatin sets are readily apparent at telophase.
All eukaryotic cell division produces some degree of asymmetric structural features of chromatin in the daughter cells. The differentially packaged chromatin will lead to differences in gene expression between the daughter cells. The two types of cells can be understood in a binary fasion; the biologic features of the 0 and +1 cells always occurring in cell division point out the possibility of distinct subsetting of overlapping but non-identical proteomics.
At times the chromatin asymmetry and cellular pairing are strikingly obvious as in the following examples (human embryonic tissue on right and volvox on left)...
More often, because of the three-dimensional nature of the tissue, the differential pairing is more subtle but the tissue is strongly patterened and the pairing is never absent (both images human embryonic tissue).
Phylogenetic trace
Cytoplasmic and chromatin differences have been traced in all tissues and all organs of a large number of metazoans and plants with no exceptions observed.
volvox (protazoan)....leather coral...riccordia mushroom...
tulip...spider...human
Because the three dimensional nature of tissue inhibits full observation of cellular pairing, we have performed dimensional compression studies. The results indicate that cell pairs are more than just close to each other, instead they are physiologically entangled so that pairs remain associated after the tissue is disrupted. The first example is a smear of a leech, the second and third examples are dimensionally compressed insect tissue.
The asymmetry continues in cancerous tissues and virus infected cells. This new detail implies a greater degree of complexity of organisms than was previously understood. Cells as tissue components are not heterogeneous in their morphology; rather, they are dimorphic. Additional studies forcing cells into two-dimensional space from three dimensions, strongly suggest these post-mitotic pairs are preferentially physically entangled. The format of entangled, binucleated protozoans and diatoms has been conserved throughout evolution. We are progressing with proof of concept with high resolution flow cytometry with antibodies to phosphorus biased, strictly conserved features and individual daughter cell proteomics. Single cell systems biology and communication may be too simple to understand cell life. Basic understandings of cell division, communication, and disease may have to be altered in light of this new data.