CELL DIVISION

 Cell division is a cellular process by which the parent cell produces daughter cells.
 It is a process of dividing the cell nucleus to form two or more nuclei.

Importance of Cell Division

 For growth and maintenance of body cells

 Constant repair of worn-out tissues
 Reproduction ( for unicellular organism –bacteria-by binary fission)
 Inheritance depend on cell division

Types of Cell Division

1. Amitosis – direct cell division in which the cell will just simply constrict and finally divides into
two daughter cells
Ex. pathological cells and some lower forms of animals–the nucleus separates into 2 parts
without forming spindles or chromosomes

For multi-cellular eukaryotic cells:

2. Mitosis- an indirect cell division ; is a process in which the division of nucleus (karyokinesis) and
cytoplasm (cytokinesis) occurs
 It is a cell division in which the daughter cells retain the same number and the same
kind of chromosomes as the mother cell
 Therefore the newly formed cells are genetically identical
 The mother cell is the cell that divides and the daughter cell is the resulting cells
 It occurs in the somatic cells (body cells) as well as immature germ cells (primordial in
plant cells)
 Mitosis is active during embryonic development, in growth, in repair of injury and in
replacement of body covering (molting)
Example: when a baby develops in its mother’s womb, mitosis occur as a component of
growth; as wound heals, mitosis occurs to repair the damage.
3. Meiosis - a reproductive cell division which takes place during gametogenesis (Spermatogenesis
and Oogenesis)
 it requires successive divisions
a) Meiosis I- also known as reduction division in which the diploid chromosome is reduced
into haploid
b) Meiosis II- also known as equatorial division (no more reduction of chromosome)
 At the end of meiosis, each formed cells are haploid
 Each formed cells will have one of each kind of chromosome ( not genetically identical)

Chromosome – Darkly staining bodies within the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.

 Consists of DNA (Genetuc material), RNA and protein

Parts of chromosomes:

1. Chromonemata – Two-thread like, very much coiled

structures found within a chromosome.
2. Centromere / kinetochore – the point of attachment of
the chromosome to the spindle fibers.
3. Chromatid – One half of the chromosome on the
duplicated chromosome.

CELL CYCLE
 Sequence of regular and repetitive physical and chemical processes taking place within the cell
 It is the period from the time a cell is formed to the time until it grows and divides to form another
cell
1. G1 - the longest of the 3 Interphase periods
 characterized by growth in which the newly produced daughter cells increase in size and
undergoes internal changes in preparation for DNA replication
 duration is variable depending on the type of cell and its level of mutation
 it may be as short as a few hours or as longer as several days

2. S - most critical and significant period because it is the phase where major parts of DNA
replication take place
 a period that DNA replication or synthesis occurs in the cell

3. G2 - proteins are produced which are necessary to cell division

 mitosis is arrested in this phase if protein synthesis is stopped because protein is the bearer
of DNA

Interphase
 Chromosomes are decondensed
 Chromosomes replicate
 The centrosome divides

Stages of Mitosis:
1. Prophase
 Condensation
 Nuclear envelope will fragment
 Nucleolus disappears
 Centrosomes move to opposite poles
 mitotic spindle apparatus forms
2. Metaphase
 Alignment
 Pairs of sister chromatids align themselves at the metaphase plate
3. Anaphase
 Separation and migration
 Centromeres separate
 Each chromatid, is linked to only one pole
 As anaphase proceeds,
 Kinetochore shorten
 Chromosomes move to opposite poles
4.) Telophase and Cytokinesis
 Chromosomes reach poles & decondense
 Nuclear membrane and nucleolus reforms
 Quickly followed by cytokinesis
 In animals, formation of a cleavage furrow
 In plants, formation of a cell plate

MEIOSIS

Sexual reproduction is the most common way for eukaryotic organisms to produce offspring
 Parents make gametes with half the amount of genetic material (haploid)
 These gametes fuse with each other during fertilization to generate a new organism

Mitosis Meiosis
Produces two diploid daughter cells Produces four haploid daughter cells
Produces daughter cells that are genetically Produces daughter cells that are NOT genetically
identical identical

 Spermatogenesis - production of sperm in males by the process of meiosis and maturation

 Oogenesis - production of egg in females by the process of meiosis and maturation
 Autosomes – chromosomes other than sex chromosomes
 Sex chromosomes - chromosomes responsible for the development of characteristics associated
with maleness or femaleness an X or Y chromosome
 Homologous chromosomes - similarly constructed having the same shape and contain genes for
the same traits
 Synapsis - the attracting and pairing of homologous chromosomes during Prophase I of Meiosis I
 Crossing over - the exchange of corresponding segments of genetic material between non-sister
chromatids of homologous chromosomes during synapsis of meiosis.

 Karyotype - the arrangement of all the chromosomes within the cell by homologous pairs in a
fixed order.

 Nondisjunction - the failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to separate

during the formation of gametes.
  Down Syndrome - human congenital disorder associated with an extra number 21 chromosome.
 Turner Syndrome - a condition caused by the inheritance of an abnormality in chromosome
lacks a homologous counterpart.
 Klinefelter Syndrome - a condition caused by the inheritance of a chromosomal abnormality in
number; an XXY individual (chromosome 23).
 Metafemale - a female who has three X chromosomes (chromosome 23).

 Cri-du- chat - also known as chromosome 5p deletion syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder
due to a missing part (deletion) of chromosome 5.  (cat-cry or call of the cat) referring to the
characteristic cat-like cry of affected children

STEPS of Meiosis
• Bivalents are organized along the metaphase
plate
• Homologous pairs of sister chromatids aligned
side by side
– A pair of sister chromatids is linked to
one of the poles
– And the homologous pair is linked to the
opposite pole
– The arrangement is random with
regards to the (blue and red)
homologues

 Pairs of sister chromatids separate

from each other
 The centromere remains between
sister chromatids