Biology 11.2 Mitosis

Two types of nuclear division:

• Mitosis = two daughter nuclei, same number of chromosomes as parent cell.
• Meiosis = four daughter nuclei, half number of chromosomes as parent cell.

Mitosis

Mitosis = division of nucleus of cell resulting in daughter cells having exact copy of DNA of the parent cell.

Genetic make-up identical to parent nucleus (except in mutation).

Mitosis preceded by interphase = period where cell is not dividing.

Interphase contains all the cellular activity and includes the replication of DNA ready for mitosis - cell is actively sythesising proteins, chromosomes are invisible.

Mitosis can be divided into four stages:

1) Prophase = chromosomes become visible, nuclear envelope and nucleolus disappear.

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