Cell Cycle

Akọwa Nkọwa

The type of cell division that involves the growth, development, repair, and replacement of worn-out tissues is mitosis.

Mitosis is a process by which a single cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells. This process is crucial for several reasons:

• Growth: As an organism develops, it needs more cells to increase in size. Mitosis ensures that new cells are genetically identical to the original cell, allowing tissues to expand properly.
• Development: During an organism's lifecycle, cells must differentiate and divide to form different tissues and organs. Mitosis provides the mechanism for such divisions while maintaining genetic consistency across cells.
• Repair: If tissues are damaged, mitosis allows for the production of new cells to replace the damaged or dead ones, helping tissues to heal.
• Replacement of Worn-Out Cells: Cells naturally wear out over time. Mitosis allows for their continuous renewal, ensuring that tissues function properly and maintain their integrity.

The process involves several phases, including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, each contributing to the accurate duplication and distribution of chromosomes to the daughter cells.

Akọwa Nkọwa

The stage of cell division illustrated in the diagram is Metaphase. Metaphase is the second stage of mitosis, which is the process of cell division that results in the formation of two daughter cells from a single parent cell. In metaphase, the chromosomes, which were duplicated in the previous stage (prophase), line up along the equator of the cell, called the metaphase plate. In the diagram, we can see that the chromosomes are aligned in the middle of the cell, which is characteristic of metaphase. The spindle fibers, which attach to the centromeres of the chromosomes and pull them apart in the next stage (anaphase), are also visible in the diagram. During metaphase, the chromosomes are at their most condensed and visible under a microscope. This allows for the accurate separation of genetic material between the two daughter cells during the subsequent stages of cell division. After metaphase, the cell progresses to anaphase, where the spindle fibers pull the sister chromatids of each chromosome apart to opposite poles of the cell. Finally, in telophase, the cell divides into two daughter cells, each with its own set of chromosomes.