MITOSIS
The Only Time When Division and Multiplication Will
Mean The Same Thing!
The Life of a Cell
• All cells in your body alternate
between two different
activities.
• Interphase – the cell is doing
the job it was meant to do
and/or preparing for cell
division.
• Mitosis – the process of cell
division.
• The alternation between
interphase and mitosis is
known as the cell cycle.
Why Cell Division?
Growth – You start out as one cell and
end up being 100 trillion!
Repair and/or maintenance of body
tissues – stuff gets injured or damaged
and you need it to be replaced.
Reproduction – a special type of cell
division (meiosis) looks after this. It
makes sperm and egg cells.
Interphase
The cell is doing its regular job
during interphase.
The DNA is long and stringy
and easy for the cell to read
and use. This form of the DNA
is known as chromatin.
The nucleus intact.
The centrioles (in animals only)
are just hanging out in the
cytoplasm.
Prophase
The DNA coils and
condenses to form
chromosomes. This is easier
to move around than
chromatin.
The nucleus will begin to
dissolve – eventually
disappearing altogether.
The centrioles migrate to
the poles of the cell.
The mitotic spindle is
starting to form.
Metaphase
The chromosomes are lined up
in the middle of the cell. (Meta
= Mid)
The centrioles are at the poles
of the cell.
The spindle is fully
constructed.
Anaphase
The pairs of sister chromatids
(pairs of similar
chromosomes) are pulled
apart by the centrioles.
Anaphase is characterized by
the separation of the sets of
chromosomes.
Telophase & Cytokinesis
The nucleus begins to reform
around the chromosomes.
The mitotic spindle has been
dismantled completely.
Cytokinesis occurs –this is the
division of the cytoplasm and
its organelles.
The Real Deal
ANIMAL
PLANT
The End