Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Course: BIO101 (Introduction to Biology)

Lecture 8: Cell division and mitosis

CELL CYCLE
The cell cycle is an ordered series of events involving cell growth and cell division that
produces two new daughter cells. These events include the duplication of its DNA (DNA
replication) and some of its organelles, and subsequently the partitioning of its cytoplasm and
other components into two daughter cells in a process called cell division.

STAGES OF THE CELL CYCLE

To divide, a cell must complete several important tasks: it must grow, copy its genetic
material (DNA), and physically split into two daughter cells. Cells perform these tasks in an
organized, predictable series of steps that make up the cell cycle. The cell cycle is a cycle,
rather than a linear pathway, because at the end of each go-round, the two daughter cells can
start the exact same process over again from the beginning.
In eukaryotic cells, or cells with a nucleus, the stages of the cell cycle are divided into two
major phases: interphase and the mitotic (M) phase. During interphase, the cell grows and
makes a copy of its DNA. During the mitotic (M) phase, the cell separates its DNA into two
sets and divides its cytoplasm, forming two new cells.
On an average cell takes around 24 hours to complete full cell cycle. Interphase constitutes
more than 90% of total of cell cycle whereas M phase takes 10% of time.

Figure 1: Different steps in cell cycle

INTERPHASE
Interphase can be also referred as preparatory phase. This preparatory phase can be
subdivided into three categories.

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G1 phase: G1 phase also called the first gap phase, the cell grows physically larger, copies
organelles, and makes the molecular building blocks it will need in later steps.

S phase: In S phase, the cell synthesizes a complete copy of the DNA in its nucleus. It also
duplicates a microtubule-organizing structure called the centrosome. The centrosomes help
separate DNA during M phase.
.
G2 phase: During the second gap phase, or G2 phase, the cell grows more, makes proteins and
organelles, and begins to reorganize its contents in preparation for mitosis. G2 phase ends
when mitosis begins.

MITOSIS
Mitosis is a form of eukaryotic cell division that produces two daughter cells with the same
genetic component as the parent cell. Chromosomes replicated during the S phase are divided
in such a way as to ensure that each daughter cell receives a copy of every chromosome. In
actively dividing animal cells, the whole process takes about one hour.

The replicated chromosomes are attached to a 'mitotic apparatus' that aligns them and then
separates the sister chromatids to produce an even partitioning of the genetic material. This
separation of the genetic material in a mitotic nuclear division (or karyokinesis) is followed
by a separation of the cell
cytoplasm in a cellular division
(or cytokinesis) to produce two
daughter cells.

In some single-celled organisms

mitosis forms the basis of
asexual reproduction. In diploid
multicellular organisms sexual
reproduction involves the fusion
of two haploid gametes to
produce a diploid zygote.
Mitotic divisions of the zygote
and daughter cells are then
responsible for the subsequent
growth and development of the
organism. In the adult organism,
mitosis plays a role in cell
replacement, wound healing and
tumour formation. Figure 2: Cell cycles in details

Mitosis, although a continuous process, is conventionally divided into five stages: prophase,
prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.

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Prophase
Prophase occupies over half of mitosis. The nuclear membrane breaks down to form a
number of small vesicles and the nucleolus disintegrates. A structure known as the
centrosome duplicates itself to form two daughter centrosomes that migrate to opposite ends
of the cell. The centrosomes organize the production of microtubules that form the spindle
fibers that constitute the mitotic spindle. The chromosomes condense into compact structures.
Each replicated chromosome can now be seen to consist of two identical chromatids (or sister
chromatids) held together by a structure known as the centromere.

Figure 3: Prophase stage

Prometaphase
The chromosomes, led by their centromeres, migrate to the equatorial plane in the mid-line of
the cell - at right-angles to the axis formed by the centrosomes. This region of the mitotic
spindle is known as the metaphase plate. The spindle fibres bind to a structure associated with
the centromere of each chromosome called a kinetochore. Individual spindle fibres bind to a
kinetochore structure on each side of the centromere. The chromosomes continue to
condense.

Metaphase
The chromosomes align themselves along the metaphase plate of the spindle apparatus.

Figure 4: Metaphase stage

Anaphase
The shortest stage of mitosis. The centromeres divide, and the sister chromatids of each
chromosome are pulled apart - or 'disjoin' - and move to the opposite ends of the cell, pulled
by spindle fibres attached to the kinetochore regions. The separated sister chromatids are now
referred to as daughter chromosomes. (It is the alignment and separation in metaphase and

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anaphase that is important in ensuring that each daughter cell receives a copy of every
chromosome.)

Figure 5: Anaphase stage

Telophase
The final stage of mitosis, and a reversal of many of the processes observed during prophase.
The nuclear membrane reforms around the chromosomes grouped at either pole of the cell,
the chromosomes uncoil and become diffuse, and the spindle fibres disappear.

Figure 6: Telophase stage

Cytokinesis
The final cellular division to form two new cells. In plants a cell plate forms along the line of
the metaphase plate; in animals there is a constriction of the cytoplasm. The cell then enters
interphase - the interval between mitotic divisions. In cytokinesis stage, animal cells undergo
cleavage and plant cell cells form cell plate between two cells.

Figure 7: Cytokinesis in plant and animal cell

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History of Hella cell
The HeLa cell line was established in 1951 from a biopsy of a cervical tumour taken from
Henrietta Lacks, a working-class African-American woman living near Baltimore. The cells
were taken without the knowledge or permission of her or her family, and they became the
first human cells to grow well in a lab. They contributed to the development of a polio
vaccine, the discovery of human telomerase and countless other advances. A PubMed search
for ‘HeLa’ turns up more than 75,000 papers. Growing cells in culture allows researchers to
investigate processes and test treatments without danger to patients. Most cells cannot be
grown in culture. Line of human cancer cells that can be grown in culture. Lacks died at 31,
but her cells continue to live and divide in labs around the world