CELL DIVISION/MITOSIS

What is mitosis?

Mitosis is a cell division that produces two daughter cells which are identical (the same) or when the cell makes an identical copy of itself

Cells that are produced by mitosis are identical in chromosome number and in chromosome combination. An example is below:

Parent cell                                                              Daughter cells





Why do cells undergo mitosis?

• Some cells use mitosis as a means of reproduction. For instance, single-cell organisms reproduce by mitosis. This is a form of asexual reproduction where the genes come from one parent.
• There are some multicellular organisms that are able to use mitosis as a means of reproduction.
• Multicellular organisms use mitosis for growth.
• Mitosis is also used to replace injured cells and dead cells. 
• In humans after the egg is fertilized, mitotic cell division is used to make all of the structures that are necessary for a human to function (heart, brain, legs...)

MITOSIS POWER POINT PRESENTATION
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MITOSIS Animation
Want to learn more about mitosis? Check out the links below!


MITOSIS TUTORIAL

MITOSIS IN A PLANT CELL
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What are the types of cell division?

1. mitosis
2. meiosis
3. binary fission.
   

Why do cells divide?

• Cells divide for growth
• Cells divide to replace injured cells, for instance when you cut yourself.
• Cells divide to replace old cells that died
  
  

What about humans and other multicellular organisms?

• All of the body cells found in humans and other multicellular organisms are made by mitosis.
• For instance, your skin, your bones, liver, lungs, hair etc.. are all products of mitosis.
• These cells do not look alike and do not have the same functions but they are identical in chromosome numbers and chromosomes combination.

How is it possible that cells with same DNA do not look identical and do not have the same function?

• The DNA refers to all of the organism's genes. However, some genes are active in some cells and not active in others. For example, the bone cells have the gene for becoming a skin cell, but they do not activate this gene; instead, they focus on the gene that will allow them to become a bone cell.
• This concept of becoming a task specialist is called differentiation.

How would humans be different, if we were to reproduce by mitosis?
Compare the advantage to the disadvantage of reproducing by mitosis.
How can you use this information?
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Want to learn more about mitosis? Check out the links below!MITOSIS TUTORIAL MITOSIS IN PLANT CELL
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Make a connection:Binary Fission is similar to mitosis, it produces two identical cells. This type of cell division only occurs in bacteria

DON'T FORGET!

• Cells produced by mitosis may not look alike, but they are identical in chromosome numbers and combination.
• Mitosis produces two genetically identical daughter cells.
• Organisms that reproduce asexually, reproduce by mitosis

CANCER IS UNCONTROLLABLE MITOSIS
Cancer cells continuously divide and do not undergo cell death.
Why do you think that cancer usually causes people to lose weight?
To learn more, click this link. CANCER MOVIE

Use this hands on game to help deepen your understanding of mitosisMITOSIS INTERACTIVE

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