加州大学旧金山分校的Sophie Dumont团队首次利用微针对哺乳动物细胞的纺锤体施加物理压力。实验发现，当纺锤体微管受力拉伸时，会触发一种自我修复机制：受力点的微管组件会脱落，而细胞质中更稳定的微管组件则会迅速填补空缺，从而使受力部位变得更加坚固和稳定。
这种「越拉越强」的抗压机制类似于手指套玩具，打破了传统材料受力易断的常规。这种生物学上的微观自愈特性，不仅解释了细胞分裂时纺锤体如何保持结构完整，也为未来工程材料的设计提供了灵感，例如开发受载重后反而变得更结实的道路。
During cell division, the mitotic spindle, a dynamic structure composed of microtubules, must endure immense tension to pull chromosomes apart. For a long time, scientists have wondered how the spindle withstands this physical strain without breaking, which is crucial for genetic accuracy and cell survival.
A research team led by Sophie Dumont at the University of California, San Francisco, used microneedles to apply physical stress to the spindles of mammalian cells for the first time. The experiments revealed a self-repair mechanism: when spindle fibers are stretched under force, damaged microtubule components pop out, and more stable components from the cytoplasm quickly slot in to stabilize and reinforce the stressed site.
This counterintuitive strengthening mechanism, similar to a finger trap, challenges the behavior of conventional materials that typically break under tension. This microscopic self-healing property not only explains how the spindle maintains its structural integrity during cell division but also inspires new designs for engineered materials, such as roads that grow stronger under heavy loads.