Mitosis

Mitosis is a process of cell division in which each of two identical daughter cells receives a diploid complements of chromosomes same as the diploid complement of the parent cell. It is usually followed by cytokinesis in which the cell itself divides to yield two identical daughter cells.

The basics in mitosis include:

1. Each chromosome is present as a duplicated structure at the beginning of nuclear division (2n).

2. Each chromosome divides longitudinally into identical halves and become separated from each other.

3. The separated chromosome halves move in opposite directions, and each becomes included in one of the two daughter nuclei that are formed.

 

Mitosis is divided into four stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. The stages have the following characteristics:

Figure 3: Mitosis cell cycle