What is the difference between the mitotic spindle and microtubules?

Question

In mitosis, I understand that the centromeres line up on the spindle. I also know that the centrioles form microtubles between the centromeres during mitosis in the metaphase. But, are microtubles and spindles the same thing? Or do microtubles make up spindles?

Answer 1

Centrioles and the Mitotic Spindle are actually both composed of Microtubules, which are tube like structures composed of repeating intertwined units of globular alpha/beta Tubulin protein.

Centrioles are composed of 9 groups of Microtubules. Centrioles are paired and move to opposite poles during mitotic division. Once centrioles are at opposite poles, the mitotic spindle forms/appears and connects to chromosomes. During Anaphase, each sister chromatid of each chromosome is pulled apart towards centrioles at opposite poles.