Exercise 5

The Process of Somatic Cell Division

(Mitosis)

All plants are multicellular organisms. They produce cells and tissues through the activity
of the individual cells. These cells are confined in the growth regions of the plants like the apical
and lateral meristems. In monocots they can also be found in the intercalary meristems.
Regardless of their site affinity, all these types of cells perform the process of somatic cell division
termed as mitosis.

Mitosis is a type of cell division that maintains the number of chromosomes characteristic
to a species from generations to generations. It is also responsible for the production of new
cells for plant growth, healing wounded parts and replacement of old and destroyed cells.

Objectives:

After the exercise, the students must be able to:

1. Identify the different stages of mitosis.

2. Identify the structures that are observed during mitosis and absent at interphase.
3. Describe the features of the cells at different stages of mitosis.

Materials:

Mitotic cell division video:

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu2bScx4ZhI

Search:
Mitosis in Onion Root Tips using this link:
https://histologyguide.com//slideview/MH-015-mitosis/01-slide-1.html

Once seen click the different stages of mitosis to show the interactive slide of the onion root
tip. Follow the instruction to identify the different stages of mitosis described below.

Procedure:
1. Observe the stages of mitosis from the video.
2. Examine the virtual slide of onion root tip provided by opening the link given above.
Focus the region at the tip of the root. At the inner part of the irregular cells of the
root cap you can find cells that are rectangular and on their different phases of cell
division. These are the mitotic cells. Focus using the HPO (40x) and identify the stages
of mitosis based on the descriptions below.
 Once identified draw a cell at specific stage and label the nucleus, nucleolus, and
chromatins (for interphase stage), chromosomes and spindle fiber (for dividing
cells), and cell plate for the telophase.

Description of cells at interphase and mitotic stages:

A. Interphase
This is a non-dividing stage of the cell. The cell has a distinct nuclear
membrane that encloses a granular nucleoplasm and distinct nucleolus. The
granules in the nucleoplasm are the chromatins. The cytoplasmic structures
within the cell are intact.

The Mitotic phases

The cells characterizing this phase are actively dividing.
1. Prophase: the chromosomes inside the cell are condensed and look like
threadlike structures. The nuclear membrane and nucleolus disappear.
2. Metaphase: The chromosomes at this stage are found lining at the center
part of the cell.
3. Anaphase: The chromosomes are pulled separately toward their
respective poles.
4. Telophase: The chromosomes reached their respective poles. The cell
plate appears which divide the cell into two daughter and identical cells.
The nuclear membrane and nucleolus begin to appear.

Drawings:

Interphase Cell

Nucleus

Nucleolus

Chromatins

Fig.1. Interphase stage of the cell.

 Prophase Metaphase

Chromosomes Spindle fibers

Chromosomes

Fig.2. Prophase stage of the cell. Fig.3. Metaphase stage of the cell.

Anaphase Early Telophase

Spindle fibers

Cell plate
Separated
chromatids

Fig.4. Anaphase stage of the cell. Fig.5. Early telophase stage of the cell.

Late Telophase

Daughter cells Cell plate

Fig.6. Late telophase stage of the cell.

Questions:
1. Differentiate between chromatins and chromosomes.

Chromatins are thin, long, and uncoiled fibrous mass made up of DNA and protein.
Chromatins are single and unpaired fibers, and are present during the interphase stage.
Chromatins allows the genetic material to be packed into the nucleus while regulating the
gene expression.

On the other hand, chromosomes are thick, compact, ribbon-like structures, and exist in
pairs. During cell division, the chromatin material condenses to form chromosomes.
Chromosomes appear during the metaphase and anaphase stage. Chromosomes make
sure that the genetic material is arranged correctly in the cell equator to enable equal
genetic material reparation between two cells.

2. Define a:
a. Centromere - a primary chromosomal restriction on the chromosome where the
chromatids are bound together and helps in the division of the DNA within the cell.
b. Diploid cell – a cell that contains two complete sets of chromosomes.
c. Kinetochore – large protein assemblies that binds chromosomes to microtubules of
the mitotic and meiotic spindles to distribute the replicated genome from a mother
cell to its daughters.