Final answer:
Taxol, vinblastine, and other similar drugs are used in chemotherapy to inhibit microtubule function, hindering cancer cell division by targeting the mitotic spindles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chemotherapy drugs like taxol and vinblastine are used as chemotherapy agents because they inhibit microtubule function. Drugs such as vincristine and colchicines disrupt mitosis by binding to tubulin, the subunit of microtubules, and interfering with microtubule assembly and disassembly. This action targets the mitotic spindles, preventing the formation of spindles and subsequently arresting cell division during metaphase. Thus, instead of inducing DNA replication, they halt cell division, which is crucial for cancer cells to multiply and spread.