Mitotic spindles are microtubule-based structures that separate chromosomes during mitosis. In most animals and fungal cells, spindle microtubules nucleate from centrosomes or spindle pole bodies. Plant cells lack such structured microtubule organizing centers, and some of their microtubules appear to nucleate from near the nuclear envelope, but very little is known about spindle formation in plants . provide evidence that, despite their differences, plant mitotic spindles could form via similar molecular mechanisms to those found in animals.