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Mitosis and Meiosis

by Walter Jessen

This article has been viewed 7078 times and has 2 comments.

Mitosis is the biological process involving chromosomal duplication and nuclear division. Mitosis is usually followed by cytokinesis, whereby the watery environment inside a cell, known as the cytoplasm, and cell membrane divide. Two identical cells are generated, each having the same number of chromosomes as the parental cell. Somatic cells (meaning any cell that is not a germline cell) undergo mitosis while germ cells (cells destined to become sperm or eggs) divide by a related process called meiosis.

The biological process of Meiosis involves DNA synthesis followed by two rounds of cell division and results in four daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the starting cell. Meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction. Meiotic recombination, also known as crossing over, is the process in which two chromosomes exchange segments of DNA and is responsible for genetic variation.

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Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Topic: Did You Know?


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2 responses to "Mitosis and Meiosis"


Comments on this story? Leave a note below.
  1. Eye on DNA Headlines for 14 August 2007 pingbacked on August 14th, 2007:

    [...] at Highlight HEALTH explains cell division with videos on mitosis and [...]

  2. Chrysalis Angel commented on August 15th, 2007:

    Those You Tube clips were perfect. Both of these articles of Mitosis and Meiosis are interesting. As I watch them try to make these stem cells, you realize just how complex the whole process is. Some things still can not be explained.




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