What is mitosis?
Q: What is mitosis?
A: Mitosis is part of the cycle of cell division in which chromosomes are copied to make two identical sets of chromosomes, and the cell nucleus divides into two identical nuclei.
Q: What happens before mitosis?
A: Before mitosis, the cell creates an identical set of its own genetic information – this is called replication. The genetic information is in the DNA of the chromosomes.
Q: How can we observe mitosis?
A: At the beginning of mitosis, the chromosomes wind up and become visible with a light microscope. The chromosomes are now two chromatids joined at the centromere. Since the two chromatids are identical to each other, they are called sister chromatids.
Q: In which type of cells does mitosis occur?
A: Mitosis happens in all types of dividing cells in the human body except with sperm and ova (gametes or sex cells).
Q: What process occurs instead for gametes?
A: For gametes (sperm and ova), a different division method called meiosis occurs instead.
Q: What do we call an identical set created by a cell before mitosis?
A: An identical set created by a cell before mitosis is called replication.
Q: How do we refer to two chromatids that are identical to each other during mitosis?
A: Two chromatids that are identical to each other during mitosis are referred to as sister chromatids.
