Mitosis - Bio 411

What is mitosis?

Division of the nucleus and genetic material into two identical daughter nuclei.

What is the purpose of mitosis?

Growth, repair, and asexual reproduction.

What is the result of mitosis?

Two genetically identical daughter cells.

What happens during prophase?

Chromatin condenses into chromosomes, spindle forms, and centrosomes begin moving to opposite poles.

What happens during prometaphase?

Nuclear envelope breaks down, spindle fibers attach to kinetochores, and chromosomes begin moving.

What happens during metaphase?

Chromosomes align at the metaphase plate, and all are attached to spindle fibers.

What happens during anaphase?

Sister chromatids separate and are pulled to opposite poles; they are now individual chromosomes.

What happens during telophase?

Chromosomes decondense, nuclear envelopes reform, and the spindle disassembles.

What is cytokinesis?

Division of the cytoplasm, usually overlapping with telophase.

What forms during cytokinesis in animal cells?

A cleavage furrow.

What forms during cytokinesis in plant cells?

A cell plate.

What is chromatin?

Loosely coiled DNA found during interphase.

What is a chromosome?

Condensed, coiled DNA visible during mitosis.

What are sister chromatids?

Identical copies of a chromosome joined at the centromere.

What is the centromere?

Region where sister chromatids are joined and spindle fibers attach.

What are spindle fibers?

Microtubules that attach to chromosomes and help move them.

What is the mitotic spindle?

The structure made of spindle fibers and centrosomes.

What is the centrosome?

The microtubule organizing center (contains centrioles in animal cells).

What is the kinetochore?

A protein complex on the centromere where spindle fibers attach.

What is the metaphase plate?

The imaginary line where chromosomes align during metaphase.

What is a cleavage furrow?

The indentation in the membrane of an animal cell during cytokinesis.

What is a cell plate?

A new structure that forms the future cell wall in plant cells during cytokinesis.

What are daughter cells?

The two genetically identical cells formed at the end of mitosis and cytokinesis.