What Is Cell Division?
Cell division is the process by which a single cell divides into two or more daughter cells. There are two types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis is the process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, while meiosis is the process of cell division that results in four genetically diverse daughter cells.
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Interphase |
Prophase |
Interphase is the stage in the cell cycle during which the cell grows and replicates its DNA in preparation for cell division. It is a period of active cell metabolism and is the longest phase of the cell cycle, accounting for about 90% of the total time.
Prometaphase And MetaphaseMetaphase is the third stage of mitosis, following prophase and prometaphase. During metaphase, the chromosomes align at the center of the cell, known as the metaphase plate.
The spindle fibers, which have attached to the kinetochores of the chromosomes during prometaphase, exert tension on the chromosomes, aligning them along the metaphase plate. This alignment ensures that each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes during cell division. |
Prophase is the first stage of mitosis, the process of cell division in which a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. During prophase, the chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the spindle apparatus begins to form.
Anaphase, Telophase, & CytokinesisAnaphase is the fourth stage of mitosis, following metaphase. During anaphase, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated at the centromere and pulled towards opposite poles of the cell by the spindle fibers. As the chromosomes move towards the poles, the cell elongates and the spindle fibers not attached to the chromosomes push the poles apart.
Telophase is the fifth stage of mitosis, following anaphase. During telophase, the chromosomes reach the poles of the cell and begin to uncoil, reverting to their extended chromatin form. A new nuclear envelope forms around each set of chromosomes, forming two separate nuclei. The spindle fibers break down and disappear. Cytokinesis is the final stage of the cell division process, following telophase. During cytokinesis, the cytoplasm of the cell divides, creating two separate daughter cells. In animal cells, this occurs by the formation of a contractile ring of actin and myosin filaments, which pinches the cell membrane inward until the cell is divided in two. In plant cells, a structure called the cell plate forms across the center of the cell, |
What is Mitosis & Meiosis
Mitosis
Mitosis is the process by which a eukaryotic cell divides into two identical daughter cells. It is a type of cell division that occurs in somatic cells, which are the cells that make up most of the body. Mitosis is important for growth, development, and repair of tissues, as well as for asexual reproduction in some organisms. |
Meiosis
Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that occurs only in the cells that produce gametes, such as sperm and eggs. Unlike mitosis, which produces two identical daughter cells, meiosis produces four non-identical daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. |