Fig. 4. Cell-like compartments are capable of self-replication.

Time lapse images of cell-like compartments performing a complete mitotic cell cycle in a cycling Xenopus laevis egg extract. Formation of the mother compartments became apparent at 15 min, and was completed by 23 min, when duplicated centrosomes could also be seen. A mitotic spindle subsequently formed at 33 min. The mother compartments completed their divisions at 40 min, each giving rise to two daughter compartments. Detailed dynamics of the process are shown in movie S7.