Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY

GENERAL TRIAS CITY CAMPUS
Town Proper, City of General Trias, Cavite, 4107
 (046) 509-4148
cvsugeneraltrias@cvsu.edu.ph

BIOL 5
BIOLOGY FOR HEALTH SCIENCE

Name: ______________________________________ Score: ____________________

Course/Year: _________________________________ Date: ____________________

Laboratory Activity No.

Modeling Mitosis and Meiosis
Introduction:
There are two types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Most of the time when people refer to “cell
division,” they mean mitosis, the process of making new body cells. Meiosis is the type of cell division that
creates egg and sperm cells.

Mitosis is a fundamental process for life. During mitosis, a cell duplicates all of its contents, including its
chromosomes, and splits to form two identical daughter cells. Because this process is so critical, the
steps of mitosis are carefully controlled by a number of genes. When mitosis is not regulated correctly,
health problems such as cancer can result.

The other type of cell division, meiosis, ensures that humans have the same number of chromosomes in
each generation. It is a two-step process that reduces the chromosome number by half—from 46 to 23—
to form sperm and egg cells. When the sperm and egg cells unite at conception, each contributes 23
chromosomes so the resulting embryo will have the usual 46. Meiosis also allows genetic variation
through a process of DNA shuffling while the cells are dividing.

Objective:
1.) To create a model of Mitosis and Meiosis using materials provided.
2.) To understand the phases of Mitosis and Meiosis.
3.) To differentiate Mitosis from Meiosis.
 Republic of the Philippines
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
GENERAL TRIAS CITY CAMPUS
Town Proper, City of General Trias, Cavite, 4107
 (046) 509-4148
cvsugeneraltrias@cvsu.edu.ph

Materials:
4 pair of socks String or Yarn Scissors
Measuring Tape Marker

Procedure:
Modeling Mitosis
1. Tie the ends of a 10-ft (3-m) piece of string together and form a circle on the table. This represents
the cell membrane of a parent cell.
2. Make a smaller circle from a 5-ft (1.5-m) piece of string to create a nuclear membrane, and place
it inside the cell membrane.
3. Place 1 sock of each pair into its mate and jumble the socks inside the nuclear membrane.
4. During interphase, the cell prepares for nuclear division and DNA replicates. To simulate
replication, remove a mate from each pair of socks. Match sister chromatids and connect them at
their centromere by tying the matching pairs together at their centers with a small piece of string.
Place them back into the nuclear membrane, jumbling them up.
5. Mitotic division now begins with prophase. During this phase, DNA condenses into chromosomes
made up of 2 identical sister chromatids, and the nuclear membrane breaks down. To model
prophase, remove the nuclear membrane and evenly distribute the pairs of tied-together socks
inside the cell membrane.
6. During metaphase, replicated chromosomes line up along the equator of the cell. Simulate this
using the sock chromosomes.
7. During anaphase, sister chromatids are pulled toward opposite sides of the cell. Once chromatids
are pulled apart, they are now unreplicated chromosomes. Simulate anaphase by untying the sister
chromatids and pulling them toward opposite sides of the cell.
8. Telophase, the last phase of mitotic division, and cytokinesis, the division of the cytoplasm, often
occur simultaneously. Cluster the unreplicated chromosomes at each side of the cell and use
strings (about 3 ft [1 m]) to create a new nuclear membrane around each of the 2 clusters. Pinch
the cell membrane string together until it meets between the 2 new nuclei. Cut it and tie the ends.
Now you have 2 daughter cells, each with its own nucleus.
Modeling Meiosis
1. Tie the ends of a piece of 10-ft (3-m) string together and form a circle on the table. This represents
the cell membrane of a parent cell.
2. Make a smaller circle from a 5-ft (1.5-m) piece of string to create a nuclear membrane, and place
it inside the cell membrane.
3. Place 1 sock of each pair into its mate and jumble the socks inside the nuclear membrane. The 2
tube sock chromosomes represent a homologous pair. One chromosome was received from the
mother, and 1 was received from the father. This is also true for the ankle sock chromosomes.
4. During interphase, prior to meiosis I, the cell prepares for nuclear division and DNA replicates. To
simulate replication, remove the mate of each pair of socks. Match sister chromatids and connect
them at the centromere by tying the matching pairs together at their centers with a small piece of
string. Place them back into the nuclear membrane and jumble them.
5. To simulate prophase I, remove the nuclear membrane and match homologous pairs of
chromosomes together near the center of the cell.
6. Model metaphase I by lining the homologous pairs of chromosomes along the cell’s equator.
7. Pull homologous chromosomes apart (toward opposite sides of the cell) to represent anaphase I.
8. To simulate telophase I and cytokinesis, cluster each batch of separated chromosomes together
on its side of the cell and create a new nuclear membrane around each of the 2 clusters. Pinch the
cell membrane together between the 2 nuclei, cut it, and tie the ends to make 2 daughter
cells. Note: To have enough working space for the remainder of meiosis, you may need to switch
to longer strings for the membranes of these 2 daughter cells—perhaps 8- to 10-ft (2.4- to 3-m)
lengths.
9. Prophase II follows cytokinesis. DNA is not replicated before prophase II. Model this phase by
removing the nuclear membranes of each cell and spreading out the chromosomes inside the cell.
10. Simulate metaphase II by lining the chromosomes along the equator of each cell.
 Republic of the Philippines
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
GENERAL TRIAS CITY CAMPUS
Town Proper, City of General Trias, Cavite, 4107
 (046) 509-4148
cvsugeneraltrias@cvsu.edu.ph

11. In anaphase II, sister chromatids are separated. Untie the sister chromatids and pull them toward
opposite sides of the cell.
12. During telophase II and cytokinesis, chromosomes bunch together at opposite ends of the cells,
new nuclear membranes form, and the cytoplasm divides. Model these phases of the cell cycle. At
the end of meiosis II, 4 daughter cells are present.

NOTE: Each phase of Mitosis and Meiosis should be documented by taking pictures and attaching the
printed photos on your paper.

Figure 1.1

Mitosis Meiosis

Conclusion:

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 Republic of the Philippines
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
GENERAL TRIAS CITY CAMPUS
Town Proper, City of General Trias, Cavite, 4107
 (046) 509-4148
cvsugeneraltrias@cvsu.edu.ph

Question:
Modeling Mitosis

1.) In interphase, how many chromosomes were present in the parent cell before replication and
after replication?

2.) How many chromosomes were present in each daughter cell? Are they genetically identical?
Explain.

3.) In what areas of your body do you think mitosis occurs regularly? Give specific examples.

Modeling Meiosis

1.) In interphase, how many chromosomes were present in the parent cell before replication and
after replication? How many homologous pairs were present?

2.) After meiosis I, how many chromosomes were present in each of the 2 daughter cells? Were
homologous pairs present in the new daughter cells?

3.) After meiosis II, how many chromosomes were present in each of the 4 daughter cells?

4.) What type of cell is formed by meiosis? Why is it important for the daughter cells to have half the
number of chromosomes as the parent cell?