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. 2015 Nov 25;6:8872. doi: 10.1038/ncomms9872

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(a) Mitotic epithelial (MDCK) and other animal (HeLa) cells generate an outward-directed pressure to create sufficient space for rounding. This pressure deforms the extracellular confinement (here micropillars) affecting the mitotic cell. The deflection of the micropillars measures the force generated by the rounding mitotic cell. If the confinement cannot be deformed sufficiently to allow the cell to round, the mitotic cell pushes itself out of the confinement where it can conduct mitosis in an unperturbed manner. After mitosis the two daughter cells move back into the confinement. (b) Mitotic cells that cannot create sufficient pressure to deform their confinement or to push themselves out of the confinement cannot round properly. Cells that cannot properly round under confined conditions are subject to an increased likelihood of apoptosis.