Although knockdown of some proteins required for spindle tension also produced acentriolar multipolar spindles in non-cancer cells (e.g. FAM29A, HEI-C and HAUS3, members of the augmin complex), depletion of many components, including all members of the CPC (Aurora-B, INCENP, Survivin and Borealin) lead to centriole-containing, cancer-specific multipolar mitoses. The gene discussed is HAUS3; the disease is cancer.