Fig. 9. Pathway showing how let-502 and mel-11 act with respect to other genes to regulate cytokinesis. During anaphase, structural components of the furrow begin to associate into a contractile bundle, including NMY-2, MLC-4 and actin. Cleavage furrow contraction is regulated by MLC-4 phosphorylation. LET-502 and MEL-11 localize to the furrow and together regulate the rate of its contraction. MEL-11 would prevent cleavage furrow contraction from occurring until the proper signal (Rho-GTP) is produced to increase LET-502's activity. Active LET-502 causes the downregulation of MEL-11 and/or the direct activation of MLC-4, allowing the actomyosin ring to contract. After the ring contracts, proteins such as CYK-4 and late CYK-1 regulate furrow termination.