cell division
How cells multiply
Cell division is the biological process by which a single cell splits to form two or more daughter cells.
It is fundamental to all life, enabling organisms to grow, repair damaged tissue, and reproduce.
The two main types are mitosis, which produces identical copies for growth and maintenance, and meiosis, which creates sex cells with half the genetic material for reproduction.
Cancer results from uncontrolled cell division.
First mitotic stage
- metaphaseChromosomal equator formation stage
- anaphaseChromatid separation stage
- telophaseFinal mitotic stage
- cytokinesisCytoplasmic division after mitosis
centromere · nuclear envelope · microtubules · centrioles · interphase · binary fission · asexual reproduction
Duplicating genetic material
- centrosomeMicrotubule-organizing organelle
- tubulinMicrotubule protein component
- oncogeneTumor-inducing genetic element
- tumor suppressorGene preventing uncontrolled growth
Reproductive cells for fusion
- haploidSingle chromosome complement
- synapsisChromosomal pairing in meiosis
- tetradGroup of four units
- recombinationGenetic material exchange process
chiasma · oogenesis · spermatogenesis · genetic diversity · bivalent · equational · sexual reproduction · diploid
Product-finding operation
- growthIncrease in size
- expansionIncrease in scope
- hyperplasiaExcessive cell multiplication
- wound healingRestoration after injury
regeneration · clonal expansion · doubling time · tumor growth · cancer · metastasis · benign · malignant
prophase
First mitotic stage
- metaphaseChromosomal equator formation stage
- anaphaseChromatid separation stage
- telophaseFinal mitotic stage
cytokinesis · centromere · nuclear envelope · microtubules · centrioles · interphase · binary fission · asexual reproduction
DNA replication
Duplicating genetic material
- centrosomeMicrotubule-organizing organelle
- tubulinMicrotubule protein component
- oncogeneTumor-inducing genetic element
tumor suppressor · genetic material · nucleotide · genome duplication
gametes
Reproductive cells for fusion
recombination · chiasma · oogenesis · spermatogenesis · genetic diversity · bivalent · equational · sexual reproduction · diploid
multiplication
Product-finding operation
- growthIncrease in size
- expansionIncrease in scope
- hyperplasiaExcessive cell multiplication
wound healing · regeneration · clonal expansion · doubling time · tumor growth · cancer · metastasis · benign · malignant · neoplasia
- splittingsplitting up, splitting the difference, splitting hairs, splitting pairs, wood splitting
- geneticsDNA, allele, genotype, genes, gene
- cell cycleinterphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase
- Bacterial Growthbinary fission, exponential growth, growth curve, growth rate, doubling time
- space biologymicrogravity, bioastronautics, life support, space stations, cosmic radiation
- biologyDNA, biology, gene, bacteriology, evolution