Phycoplast

The phycoplast is a microtubule structure observed during cytokinesis in members of the Chlorophytina, the largest and most well known subphylum of chlorophyte green algae.

use structures called phragmoplasts to organize and guide the growing cell plate.

The growth of the cell plate eventually disrupts the telophase spindle (see case 4 in picture).

In these algae, the spindle collapses and a new system of microtubules forms that is oriented in parallel to the plane of cell division.

The phycoplast may play a role in assuring that the plane of cell division will pass between the two daughter nuclei.

Schematic representation of types of cytokinesis in the green algae: 1) Phycoplast formation with cleavage furrow (e.g. Chlamydomonas ); 2) Cleavage furrow and persistent telophase spindle (e.g. Klebsormidium ); 3) Phycoplast and cell plate formation (e.g. Fritschiella ); 4) Persistent telophase spindle/phragmoplast with cell plate formation (e.g. Coleochaete )