By chia | September 29, 2009
Mitosis is a highly controlled process in the cell cycle, where DNA and organelles of a cell are accurately divided into 2 identical daughter cells.
There are 4 main phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.
Quite a number of things happen during prophase.
Chromatin (thread-like DNA) is supercoiled and condensed into chromosomes.
The nuclear envelope breaks down, [...]
By chia | September 29, 2009
Cytokinesis is the final stage in the cell cycle. The cytoplasm of the dividing cell is separated in two. The way this happens is different for animal and plant cells.
In animal cells, microfilaments form a contractile ring in the middle of the dividing cell. As the ring contracts, it creates a cleavage furrow, which eventually [...]
By chia | September 28, 2009
Cells spend most of their time (90%) in interphase. However, they are not just “resting”, but preparing for the next division.
The first part of interphase, the G1 phase (Gap 1), is the period during which cells are growing, synthesizing proteins and making more organelles. Cells need to double their organelles and size before dividing, otherwise [...]
By chia | September 28, 2009
Cell Theory states that cells come from pre-existing cells. What does this mean? Our body is made up of billions of cells, and all of them originate from only TWO basic cells - the sperm and egg. To get from 2 cells to a billion, these 2 cells divide many many MANY times. A lot [...]