Cell Division & Prokaryotes

Why do cells divide? Growth Replace damaged or old cells Produce new individuals in single celled organisms Differs in prokaryotes (bacteria) and eukaryotes

Identical Daughter Cells Two identical daughter cells Parent Cell

Surface Area to Volume Ratio The area covered by the cell membrane Volume: Space inside of the cell (cytoplasm) Length of a side Surface Area Volume Ratio 1 6 2 24 8 3 4 96 64 1.5

Surface Area : Volume

Having More Surface Area (lines) than Volume (squares) is Better!

BIGGER CELLS NEED MORE FOOD and OXYGEN, but CAN’T TRANSPORT IT FAST ENOUGH or IN BIG ENOUGH QUANTITIES!

Cell Division in Prokaryotes

Prokaryotic Chromosome The DNA of prokaryotes (bacteria) is one, circular strand of DNA attached to the inside of the cell membrane

Cell Division in Prokaryotes Prokaryotes like bacteria divide into 2 identical cells by the process of binary fission Single chromosome makes a copy of itself Cell membrane forms between the chromosomes dividing the cell Parent cell Chromosome replicates Cell splits 2 identical daughter cells

Animation of Binary Fission

Prokaryotic Cell Undergoing Binary Fission

Click HERE to watch short video of binary fission