Mitosis A Type of Cell Division

Mitosis One human cell eventually multiplies to several hundred trillion producing a human being. This process is called MITOSIS. It is the event that ensures that every cell in your body has the identical set of genetic instructions or DNA.

Cells become ready for mitosis by making copies of their DNA, this process is called replication. Each double stranded chromosome contains two chromatids, joined by a centromere.

The Phases of Mitosis The phases of mitosis include, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Cells spend most of their time in interphase.

Importance of Mitosis: Growth Repair Replacing dead and damaged cells Asexual reproduction To ensure that each daughter cell maintains exactly the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent cell. Produces two identical daughter cells

Interphase (Resting stage) Chromosomes cannot be seen Chromosomes duplicate and double in number

Interphase Animal cell Plant cell

nuclear membrane disappearing Prophase nuclear membrane disappearing chromatids centromere Chromosomes become visible Each chromosome consists of two identical chromatids homologous chromosomes

Prophase Animal cell Plant cell

Metaphase Chromosomes line up at the equator (centre of the cell) Spindles are formed to attach to the centromere of each chromosome

Metaphase Animal cell Plant cell

Sister chromatids separate as individual chromosomes Anaphase chromosomes Sister chromatids separate as individual chromosomes They move apart towards the opposite poles

Anaphase Animal cell Plant cell

nuclear membrane forming Telophase nuclear membrane forming Chromosomes gradually disappear Nuclear membrane is forming around each set of chromosomes

Telophase Animal cell Plant cell

Cytoplasmic division Division of cytoplasm cleavage furrow cell plate Animal cells : by formation of cleavage furrow Plant cells : by formation of cell plate

Can you identify the different stages of mitosis from the diagram below? anaphase interphase telophase metaphase prophase

Animation http://www.cellsalive.com/mitosis.htm