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Genes and inheritance

3  of  9

DNA replication and mitosis

How a cell divides - mitosis

 

Mitosis is the process by which a cell divides to produce two identical daughter celldaughter cell
One of the two identical cells produced as a result of cell division.
s, also known as clones.

  • Firstly, every chromosomechromosome
    A chromosome is like a packet of coiled up DNA. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. They are in the nucleus of every human cell.
    makes a copy of itself and each new pair is then called a pair of sister chromatidschromatids
    Copies of the original chromosomes involved in mitosis and meiosis.
    . The process of copying the DNA within a cell is known as DNA replication.
  • Then the membranemembrane
    A thin, flexible sheet-like structure that acts as a lining or a boundary in an organism.
     of the nucleus dissolves so that the chromatidschromatids
    Copies of the original chromosomes involved in mitosis and meiosis.
    spill out into the rest of the cell.
  • They then line up across the middle of the cell and the sister chromatids are pulled apart to opposite ends of the cell.
  • Now they are called chromosomechromosome
    A chromosome is like a packet of coiled up DNA. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. They are in the nucleus of every human cell.
    s again and each set becomes enclosed in a new nuclear membranenuclear membrane
    The thin, flexible structure enclosing the contents of the nucleus in a cell.
    .
  • Eventually the mother cell splits into two giving rise to two daughter celldaughter cell
    One of the two identical cells produced as a result of cell division.
    s each with the same set of chromosomes as the original cell.