CELL DIVISION (PC 1.1.7 – 1.1.
8)
MITOSIS
• Mitosis produces two daughter cells that are identical to the parent cell.
• If the parent cell is haploid (N), then the daughter cells will be haploid.
• If the parent cell is diploid, the daughter cells will also be diploid.
• It involves the somatic/body cells.
• There is a dormant/resting stage known as Interphase,
• Mitosis consists of four stages;
Prophase,
Metaphase,
Anaphase and
Telophase
Stages of Mitosis: INTERPHASE
• It is a dormant stage; chromosomes are
not visible.
• DNA duplicate (copy itself).
• New cell parts (organelles) are formed.
• If present, the Centrioles multiply.
• The cell builds up energy store to carry
out the mitosis process.
• Chromosomes are not visible because they are uncoiled.
Stages of Mitosis: PROPHASE
• Chromosomes become visible and they contain DNA molecules.
• As prophase continues, the chromosomes coil, become shorter and fatter.
• The chromosomes separate and form chromatids and they are joined together by the
centromeres.
• Spindle Fibres start forming in the cytoplasm, with an equator and a pair of Centrioles at
each pole.
• The nuclear membrane starts to breakdown.
• The chromosomes coil.
• The nuclear membrane disintegrates.
• The spindle apparatus forms.
Stages of Mitosis: METAPHASE
In early metaphase, chromosomes are
arranged at the equator (middle) of the
spindle fibre. with the chromatids of each
chromosome oriented/adjusted towards
opposite poles.
Chromatids are attached to the spindle
fibres by their centromeres.
The centromeres then divide and may begin to move apart in opposite directions, carrying
the chromatids towards the poles of the spindle.
Stages of Mitosis: ANAPHASE
• The chromatids separate, the number of
chromosomes doubles.
• The drawing shows a cell with 16
chromosomes. Each chromosome has 1
chromatid for a total of 16 chromatids.
Stages of Mitosis: TELOPHASE
• Chromatids reach the poles of the cell, uncoil, and become thinner, losing the ability to
visible.
• (Chromosomes reform by an uncoiling, they
become thinner and disappear).
• Spindle fibres disintegrates.
• Nucleic membrane develops under a set of
chromatids.
• At this point in animal cells, the cytoplasm
between two nuclei constricts (Become tight
or as if tight) and the two cells are formed.
• This stage is followed by distribution of organelles to form 2 potential daughter cells
followed by development of loosely cells referred to as cytokinesis.
IMPORTANCE OF MITOSIS
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SUMMARY OF MITOSIS
MEIOSIS
• Meiosis is a reductive cell division which
reduces chromosomes to half and produces
sex/germ cells.
• It is a cell division that produces reproductive
cells in sexually reproducing organisms; the
nucleus divides into four nuclei each
containing half the chromosome number
(leading to gametes in animals and spores in
plants).
• All body cells contain a constant number of
chromosomes e.g. human beings contain 46
chromosomes.
• Meiosis leaves the chromosomes in a haploid state (n) and it results in 23 chromosomes.
• It will be after fertilization that the chromosomes will become 46 again (with 23 pairs from
the ovum and the sperm).
• To have four daughter cells, there is need for two cell division in meiosis at the end of the
first cell division there is going to be 2 daughter cells which will divide to form two other
daughter cells the stages are similar to mitosis.
• Meiosis produces daughter cells that have one half the number of chromosomes as the
parent cell.
Stages of First Meiosis: MEIOSIS – PROPHASE I
This is the longest stage of meiosis and involves the following;
• The nucleolus breaks down along with the
nucleus membrane.
• Chromosomes shorten and become thick.
• Unlike in mitosis, the homologous (similar
chromosomes) pairs of chromosomes lie
together.
• As prophase continues, the chromosomes coil
around each other.
• Crossing over occurs.
Stages of First Meiosis: MEIOSIS – METAPHASE I
• Paired chromosomes move to the equator of
the spindle formed as in mitosis.
• They become arranged, with the centromeres
of homologous pairs pointing towards
opposite poles.
• The random alignment pattern is called
independent assortment. For example, a cell
with 2N = 6 chromosomes could have any of
the alignment patterns shown at the left
Stages of First Meiosis: MEIOSIS – ANAPHASE I
Homologous chromosomes (each consisting
of two chromatids joined at the centromeres)
move apart towards opposite poles of the
spindle.
Stages of First Meiosis: MEIOSIS – TELOPHASE I
(this stage is absent in some species)
Chromosomes reach the poles and the cell
constricts forming two new daughter cells as
in mitosis.
The division has halved the chromosomes of
the original
Nuclear membranes may re-form and a short
resting space follows but occasionally the cell
enters the metaphase 2 stage.
SUMMARY OF MEIOSIS I
Stages of Second Meiosis: MEIOSIS – METAPHASE II
a new spindle forms in each new cell and two
chromosomes line up at the equator.
Stages of Second Meiosis: MEIOSIS – ANAPHASE II
Chromatids of the chromosomes in each
new cell separate (as in mitosis)
Stages of Second Meiosis: MEIOSIS – TELOPHASE II
Four new cells form, each with half the
chromosomes compared to the original cell.
END OF MEIOSIS
SUMMARY OF MEIOSIS II
The Differences between MITOSIS and MEIOSIS:
MITOSIS MEIOSIS
It is a duplicative cell division. It is a reductive cell division.
Forms somatic/body cells Forms gametes/sex cells.
Forms 2 diploid (2n) cells. Forms haploid (n) gametes (sex cells).
Responsible for the growth of an individual Responsible for reproduction.
Completed after one division. Completed after two divisions.
No pairing of homologous chromosomes. Homologous chromosomes pair in prophase 1.
Two cells formed Four cells formed.
