When does mitosis occur?

As well as being packed with information, the DNA of chromosomes also has the ability to reproduce itself. Without this, the cells could not pass on information from one generation to the other. The process of cell division in which the cell duplicates itself is called mitosis, which works as follows:

1 the chromosomes become shorter and the nuclear envelope breaks,

2 the chromosomes are released, which duplicate and attach themselves to a cytoplasmic network,

3 they are then drawn apart

4-7 to form two new cells with reformed nuclear envelopes.

Mitosis is absolutely essential to life because it provides new cells for growth and for replacement of worn-out cells. Mitosis may take minutes or hours, depending upon the kind of cells and species of organisms. It is influenced by time of day, temperature, and chemicals. Strictly speaking the term mitosis is used to describe the duplication and distribution of chromosomes, the structures that carry our genetic information.

Fact File:

DNA strands look like a twisted ladder. Sections of DNA are called genes. All the instructions for growing a new human being are coded into the DNA molecule.

 

Picture Credit : Google