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Biology : Cell cycle and Cell division
Pre-Medical

CELL CYCLE AND CELL DIVISION

Cell cycle and cell division : Growth and reproduction Cell cycle : Sequence of events by which cell
are characteristic of living organism and cell. replicate its genome, grow and divide to form
O daughter cells.
O Growth O Division  Cell growth : continuous process throughout
Cell population cell cycle.
O
O Division consist of
 Genome replication : S phase
O millions of cell
Growth  Events of cell cycle are under genetic
O O Division
control.
O

Phases of Cell Cycle

Interphase M phase (Mitosis phase)

Previously called resting phase [Phase of actual cell division]
[Preparation for division]
Phase between two successive divisions Karyokinesis Cytokinesis
95% duration of cell cycle [Nuclear division] [Division of cytoplasm]
 Duration of cell cycle vary
G1 phase S phase/Synthesis phase G2 phase G0 from organism to organism
(Gap1 phase)  DNA replication in (Gap2 phase) and cell type to cell type.
 Interval nucleus Protein for  Duration of cell cycle in
between cell  Chromosome
mitosis are human cell in culture : 24 hr.
division and synthesized. G1 Duration of cell cycle in yeast :
replication/duplication 
initiation of Cytoplasmic 90 minutes
M Phase

 In animal cell centrioles

DNA replication growth  Mitosis in animals occur
duplication in S
 Metabolically usually in 2n somatic cells.
active cell cytoplasm G2  There are few exceptions
Cell organelles  Number of DNA double
 where haploid cells divide by
duplication but number of mitosis in animals.
 Continuous chromosomes remain e.g. Male honey bee.
growth same during this stage  Mitosis in plants : n or 2n cells

G0 phase : In adult organisms some cells do not divide and exit from G1 stage and enter in quiescent phase
e.g. Heart cell.
 Mainly suspended the cell cycle  Cells are metabolically active
 No cell division  Cell enter in G0 phase at the end of G1 phase.

M phase : Karyokinesis + Cytokinesis M phase : Most dramatic period of the cell cycle.
Prophase Major reorganisation of virtually all components of cell
Metaphase Mitotic division is equational division because number of chromosomes in
Anaphase parental and daughter cells are same. Mitosis starts with karyokinesis and
Telophase ends with cytokinesis. Cell division is a progressive process.

Prophase :
 Initiation of condensation of chromosomal material
condensation
Chromosomal material (Chromatin) untangling
Chromosome
 Movement of centrosome towards opposite poles.
 Formation of aster and mitotic apparatus.
 Mitotic apparatus = Two aster + spindle fibres. Early Prophase Late Prophase
 At the end of prophase, Nuclear membrane, nucleolus, ER and GB disappear.

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Biology : Cell cycle and Cell division ®
Pre-Medical
Metaphase :
 Onset of metaphase : Complete disintegration of nuclear membrane.
 Condensation of chromosomal material completed.
 Best stage to study morphology of chromosome.
 Spindle fibres attach to kinetochores of chromosomes.
Transition to Metaphase Metaphase
 Chromosomes arrange on equator of cell and form equatorial plate.

Anaphase :
 Simultaneous splitting of chromosome : onset of anaphase.

 Each sister chromatid become daughter chromosome.

Anaphase
 Pole ward migration of daughter chromosomes

 Centromere is towards pole thus forming leading edge and arms are trailing behind.

Telophase :
 Chromosomes cluster at opposite poles
 Chromosomes decondensation Telophase
 Chromosome lost their individuality
 Formation of nuclear membrane around chromosome cluster
 Nucleolus, Golgi complex and ER reform

Cytokinesis :
 Formation of two daughter cells by separation of cytoplasm

 Distribution of cytoplasmic organelles in daughter cells

Animal cell cytokinesis : Appearance of a furrow in plasma membrane. Furrow

deepens and joining in the centre and cell divide in two cells.
Plant cell cytokinesis : By formation of a simple precursor - Cell plate.
Cell plate becomes middle lamella between walls of adjacent cells
 When karyokinesis is not followed by cytokinesis, it results in multinucleated

condition. e.g. liquid endosperm in coconut.

Significance of mitosis :
Production of genetically identical daughter cells
Growth of multicellular organisms
Restoration of nucleocytoplasmic ratio.
Cell repair, replacement of dead and damaged cells
Continuous growth of plant by division in apical meristem and lateral meristem.

Meiosis : Reductional division

Meiosis : G1, S, G2
 Specialised type of cell division which reduces number of chromosome to Meiosis I
half in daughter cells.
Fertilization
2n → n → 2n Meiosis Inter kinesis
Meiosis
Haploid phase Diploid phase
 Meiosis involves two sequential cycles of nuclear division and cell division Meiosis II
but only a single cycle of DNA replication.
 Meiosis involves pairing of homologous chromosomes and crossing over

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Pre-Medical
Meiosis I :
Prophase I : Longer and more complex than
mitotic prophase. Subdivided in 5 phases on
the basis of chromosomal behaviour.
A. Leptotene : Compactation of chromosome
or condensation of chromosomal material.
Chromosomes are gradually visible.
B. Zygotene : Pairing of homologous
chromosomes (synapsis)
 Formation of synaptonemal complex
 Bivalent or tetrad formation
C. Pachytene : Bivalents are clearly appear as
tetrads.
 Recombination nodule formation
 Crossing over between non sister
chromatids of homologous chromosomes
 Recombinase enzyme activities
Biology : Cell cycle and Cell division
Metaphase I : Bivalents are arranged on
equator (Metaphase plate formation). Spindle
fibres attach to the kinetochores.
Anaphase I : Seperation of homologous
chromosomes and poleward movement of
chromosomes. Sister chromatids remain
associated at their centromeres.
Telophase I : Nuclear membrane and nucleolus
reformation
 Some dispersion of chromosomes may occur
but they do not reach upto fully extended
stage.
 Cytokinesis and formation of dyad of cell
Interkinesis :
 Stage between meiosis I & II.
 DNA replication does not occur. It is short
duration phase.

D. Diplotene : Meiosis II : Similar to mitosis

 Dissolution of synaptonemal complex
 Chiasmata formation
 Diplotene can last for few days to many
years in oocytes of some vertebrates.
E. Diakinesis : Transition to metaphase I
 Condensation of chromosomal material
complete
 Terminalization of chiasmata
 Meiotic spindle assembly
Prophase II : Nuclear membrane disappear
 Chromosomes become fully compact.
Metaphase II : Chromosomes aligned on equator and spindle fibres
get attached to kinetochores.
Anaphase II : Splitting of centromeres.
 Poleward movement of daughter chromosomes by shortening of
microtubules/spindle fibres.
Telophase II : Nuclear membrane reappears
 Cytokinesis and formation of tetrad of cells.

 Nucleuolus and nuclear

membrane disintegrate

Significance of meiosis :
 Conservation of constant number of
chromosomes in sexually reproducing
organisms across the generations.
 Increases genetic variability in population.

NCERT SUMMARY
 Cell division does not stop with the formation of the mature organism but continuous through
out its life cycle.
 Most of the organelle duplication occurs during G1 phase.
 S phase marks the phase of DNA replication and chromosome duplication.
 G2 phase is the period of cytoplasmic growth.
 Meiosis is called the reduction division.

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Biology : Cell cycle and Cell division ®
Pre-Medical
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