Daughter cells are genetically identical to parent cells, except in the rare event of a mutation.
Always preceded by a period during which
the cell is not dividing , called INTERPHASE
Period of considerable cellular activity that
includes a very important event, the
replication of DNA
Continuous process, however is can be
divided into four stages
PROPHASE
Chromosomes first
become visible as long thin
threads, which then
shorten and condense
Animal cells contain
two cylindrical
organelles called
centrioles, each of
which moves to
opposite ends (poles)
of the cell.
From each centriole, spindle fibres develop
which span the cell from pole to pole.
Collectively, these fibres are called spindle
apparatus.
The nucleolus dissapears
Nucelar Envelope breaks down
leaves chromosomes free in the cytoplasm of the cell.
Chromosomes are drawn towards the equator of the cell by the spindle fibres attached to the centromere
Produces two daughter cells
METAPHASE
Chromosomes are seen to be
made up of two chromatids
Each chromatid is an identical copy of DNA form the parent cell
Chromatids are joined by the centromere
It is to this centromere that some microtubules from the poles are attached and the chromosomes are pulled
along the spindle apparatus and arrange themselves across the equator of the cell
ANAPHASE
Centromeres divide into two and the spindle
fibres pull the individual chromatids making
up the chromosome apart
The chromatids move rapidly to their respective , opposite
poles of the cell and we now refer to them as chromosomes
The energy for the process is provided by mitochondria
which gather around the spindle fibres
TELOPHASE AND CYTOKINESIS
Chromosomes reach respective poles
Chromosomes become longer
and thinner, finally disappearing
altogether, leaving only widely
spread chromatin
The spindle fibres disintegrate and the
nuclear envelope and nucleolus re-form.
Finally, the cytoplasm divides in a process called Cytokinesis
Cell Division in Prokaryotic Cells
1) The circular DNA molecule replicates
and both copies attach to the cell
membrane
2) The plasmids also replicate
3) The cell membrane begins to grow between the
two DNA molecules and begins to pinch inward,
dividing the cytoplasm into two
4) A new cell wall forms between the two molecules of DNA, dividing the
original cell into two identical daughter cells, each with a single copy of the
circular DNA and a variable number of copies of the plasmids
Replication of Viruses
Viruses are non-living meaning they can't undergo cell division
Instead they replicate bt attaching to their host cell with the attachment proteins on their surface
They inject their nucleic acid into the host cell
The genetic information on the injected viral
nucleic acid then provides the 'instructions' for
the host cells metabolic processes to start
producing the viral components which are then
assembled into viruses
nucleic acid
enzymes
structural proteins
Mitosis is important in organisms as it
produces genetically identical daughter cells.
Why is it essential to make exact copies of
existing cells?
Growth: When two haploid cells (e.g
sperm and an ovum) fuse together to
form a diploid cell, it has all the genetic
information needed to form the new
organism. If the new organism is to
resemble its parents, all the cells that
grow from this original cell must be
genetically identical. Mitosis ensures this
happens.
Repair: If cells are damaged or die it is important that
the new cells produced have an identical structure and
function to the ones that have been lost
Reproduction: Single - celled organisms divide by
mitosis to give two new organisms. Each new
organism is genetically identical to the parent
organism