Medicines help to reduce pain and kill infections. However, have you ever thought about how new skin forms over the wound? The answer lies in a fascinating biological process called mitosis. Like most biological processes, mitosis occurs through a series of steps, each of which is critical in the seemingly effortless production of new cells.
This article will cover the stages of mitosis, examine how each step is essential to the healing process, and determine which of the steps in this sequence of events is an example of mitosis at work?. Let us begin!!
Mitosis: What is it?
The process of mitosis is the one by which a cell duplicates its chromosomes and distributes one set to each of its two progeny cells, restarting its internal replication cycle. Once the cell has been divide by mitosis the chromosomes will be split equally between two daughter cells each with the same genomes.
Phases of Mitosis
Mitosis is divide into several distinct phases. The phases are prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis (not a part of mitosis).
- Prophase: The chromatin condenses, and forms visible chromosomes. It starts breaking down into pieces, and a spindle starts to take form. Example: Similar to packing loose clothes into piles(chromosomes) that look neat and ready for transport.
- Metaphase: Chromosomes aligned themselves at the metaphase plate ensuring an identical set of chromosomes for each daughter cell. Example
- Students stand in a straight line to prevent someone from missing.
- Anaphase: For equal chromosome distribution sister chromatids are pull to opposite directions of the cell. Example Letting tightrope lie between two balloons and thus making them drift to the opposite sides of the room.
- Telophase: The genetic material is separate and the chromosomes are decondens back into chromatin, nuclear membranes reform from the separated genetic material, and spindle fibers break down. Example Unpacking neatly folded clothes at your destination and placing them back into drawers.
Cytokinesis: This is the final stage of mitosis, but not a part of it where the cytoplasm splits into two daughter cells. So Example Separating the water balloon into 2 smaller ones, both with the same amount of water in them.
How does Mitosis work?
During exercise, muscle fibers tear up into tiny pieces and then your body replaces them with new muscle cells. Let’s know the process:
- Prophase: When a muscle cell is ready to divide, the DNA from inside the cell condenses into visible chromosomes and the protective molecular layer around the nucleus begins to break down. It is the beginning of the process.
- Metaphase: On the metaphase plate the chromosomes line up in the center of the cell.
- Anaphase: The sister chromatids will be separate so that each new daughter cell will have the same genetic information.
- Telophase: Once the chromatids have come to opposite poles of the cell, the cell begins to form a new nuclear envelope about its sets of chromosomes. The cell breaks up into two.
- Cytokinesis: From here the cell fully divides and separates cytoplasm into two new muscle cells. The new muscle cells that grow are the same genetic material as the original one and will work to help repair and strengthen that tissue.
Mitosis Analyzing Phases
Prophase organizes the chromosomes and begins the disintegration of the nuclear envelope to prepare the cell for further stages. Spindle fibers will soon be leading the chromosomes to their correct places.
- Metaphase helps in correct alignment which will provide for an equal distribution of sister chromatids. This provides a checkpoint where the cell makes certain that all its chromosomes are equally oriented, assuring genetic consistency in daughter cells.
- Anaphase is probably the most active phase of mitosis, while sister chromatids separate such that each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes. Such maintenance of genetic integrity during cell division is critical.
- Telophase compromises the final phase of nuclear division. The cell is set to divide on the cytoplasmic level and form two genetically identical daughter cells.
- Cytokinesis entails the actual operation of cell division, during which the initial cell splits wholly into two identically formed daughter cells-and this is essential in very many things such as growth, tissue repair, and regeneration.
Significance of Mitosis
Mitosis is a cell division process responsible for:
- Growth: In multicellular organisms, mitosis refers to the pathway of tissue and organ growth.
- Repair: Repairing damaged cells, thus maintaining tissue integrity.
- Asexual reproduction: Some organisms divide through mitosis asexually and give rise to genetically identical offspring.
Mitosis in Real Life
Mitosis is essential knowledge for any student of biology, and therefore instructors can improve upon instruction with diagrams, videos, and hands-on lab work to visualize the processes. Live observation of mitosis can be done by students using a plant’s leaf or an actual animal tissue sample.
Conclusion
In summary, mitosis is a crucial biological process that ensures cell growth, repair, and maintenance. The study of its phases and importance helps students understand cellular functions more profoundly. Practical experiences, such as observing mitosis in plant or animal cells, provide useful insights that reinforce theoretical knowledge and highlight the importance of this process in living organisms. in this article we provide information about which of the steps in this sequence of events is an example of mitosis at work?
Ans. Mitosis occurs in the non-reproductive cells of multicellular organisms, such as skin, muscle, and liver cells.
Ans. It takes generally one hour in animal cells but it can vary from cell to cell.
Ans. If mitosis goes wrong it can lead to uncontrollable cell division leading to cancer.
Ans. No, Mitosis occurs in somatic cells only.
Ans. Mitosis produces two identical daughter cells, whereas meiosis produces four genetically diverse gametes containing half the chromosome number.