Cell Division

Interphase

• Accounts for about 90% of the cell cycle

• During this stage, a cell produces proteins and organelles such as centrioles, and duplicates its genetic material in
preparation for cell division (M phase)

Gap 1 (G1) Phase

• The primary growth of the cell happens in this phase

• During this phase, the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the cell takes the form of a
thin fibrous structure called chromatin

Synthesis (S) phase

• During this phase, the chromatin and the centriole are replicated. The two
chromatins are identical
Gap 2 (G2) phase

• The cell continues to grow in preparation for cell division

Mitosis

• During mitosis, a cell duplicates all its contents, including its chromosomes, and splits
to form two identical daughter cells

Early Prophase

• The chromosomes start to condense

(making them easier to pull apart)
• The mitotic spindle begins to form
• The nucleolus, a part of the nucleus
where ribosomes are made, disappears

Late Prophase

• The nuclear envelope breaks down

• The mitotic spindle grows more, and
some of the microtubules start to
“capture” chromosomes
Metaphase

• The spindle has captured all the

chromosomes and lined them up at
the middle of the cell called
metaphase plate
• At this stage, the two kinetochores of
each chromosomes should be
attached to microtubules

Anaphase

• The protein “glue” that holds the

sister chromatids together is broken down, allowing them to separate. The chromosomes of each pair are pulled
towards opposite ends of the cell
• Microtubules push poles apart, separating the poles and making the cell longer

Telophase

• The mitotic spindle is broken down into its building blocks

• Nuclear membranes and nucleoli reappear, forming two new nuclei
• Chromosomes begin to decondense and return to their “stingy” form
Cytokinesis

• Cytokinesis is the part of the cell division

process during which the cytoplasm of
the cell divides into two daughter cells

Importance of Mitosis

• Mitosis is important to multicellular

organisms because it provides new cells
for growth and for replacement of worn-
out cells

Meiosis

• Meiosis is used for just one purpose in the human body: the production of
gametes – sex cells, or sperm and eggs
• Its goal is to make daughter cells with exactly half as many chromosomes as
the starting cell

Phases of Meiosis

• In many ways, meiosis is a lot like mitosis

• In meiosis, however, the cell must also separate homologous chromosomes,
the similar but non-identical chromosome pairs

Meiosis I

• Before entering meiosis I, a cell must first go through interphase

• During prophase I, differences from mitosis begin to appear. As in mitosis, the chromosomes begin to condense,
but in meiosis I, they also pair up
• This process, in which homologous chromosomes trade parts, is called crossing over