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Southern City Colleges
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Pilar Street, Zamboanga City, 7000
GENARAL BIOLOGY 1
CELL DIVISION
This lesson explores cell’s division roles in reproduction, growth, and development for an organism to stay alive. The
events of cell division help us to understand how organisms are built and how they work. It involves the distribution of
identical genetic material DNA from their parents to their progenies. This lesson helps us to realize one’s uniqueness and
the significance of cell division in a cell.
You have learned that during interphase, the cell is being prepared before its division that eventually produces two
genetically identical daughter cells. This is the critical stage by which the cell duplicates its organelles and replicates its
DNA. By the end of the process, individual cell has two full sets of DNA or chromosomes and attains its large size
intended for cell division.
Showing you are the different events that occur in mitosis and meiosis.
MITOSIS (Somatic cell division)
Mitosis
is the division of nucleus into two genetically identical nuclei containing the same full set of DNA. It is divided into
four main phases-
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase.
Prophase • Chromosomes condense and become
visible
• Spindle fibers emerge from the
centrosomes
• Nuclear envelope breaks down
• Centrosomes move toward opposite poles
Prometaphase • Chromosomes continue to condense
• Kinetochores appear at the centromeres
• Mitotic spindle microtubules attach to
kinetochores
Metaphase • Chromosomes are lined up at the
metaphase plate
• Each sister chromatid is attaches to a
spindle fiber originating from opposite
poles
Anaphase • Centromeres split into two
• Sister chromatids (now called
chromosomes) are pulled toward opposite
poles
• Certain spindle fibers begin to elongate
the cell
Telophase
• Chromosomes arrive t opposite poles and
begin to decondense
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• Nuclear envelope material surrounds each
set of chromosomes
• The mitotic spindle breaks down
• Spindle fibers continue to push poles
apart
Cytokinesis
• Animal cells: a cleavage furrow separates
the daughter cells
• Plant cells: a cell plate the precursor to a
new cell wall, separates the daughter cells
Source:[Link]
MEIOSIS (Sex cell division)
Meiosis
A cellular division occurs to produce sex cells in the reproductive organs, ovaries and
testes. It divides the number of chromosomes into halves in the formation of gametes,
known as reduction process. Meiosis involves two divisions of the nucleus known as
meiosis (I) and meiosis (II), subdivided into the stages of prophase, metaphase,
anaphase and telophase.
A. Meiosis I- It focuses on the division of homologous chromosomes to
produce two haploid cells with duplicated chromosomes.
Prophase I
• Chromosomes condense
• Nuclear envelope breaks down
• Crossing over occurs
Metaphase I
• Pairs of homologous chromosomes move to the
equator of the cell
Anaphase I • Homologous chromosomes move the opposite poles
of the cell
• Chromosomes gather at the poles of the cells.
• The cytoplasm divides.
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Telophase I & Cytokinesis
B. Meiosis II - It focuses on the division of sister chromatids, resulting in sex
cells with only half the chromosomes number.
Prophase II
• New spindle forms around the chromosomes
Metaphase II
• Metaphase II chromosomes line up at the equator.
Anaphase II
• Centromeres divide
• Chromatids move to the opposite poles of the cell
Telophase II & Cytokinesis • Nuclear envelope forms around each set of the
chromosomes
• The cytoplasm divides
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Comparison of Mitosis and Meiosis
Mitosis Meiosis
Two sets of divisions occur during meiosis:
One division occurs during mitosis. meiosis I and meiosis II.
DNA replication occurs during interphase. DNA replication occurs once before meiosis I.
Synapsis of homologous chromosomes does not Synapsis of homologous chromosomes occurs
occur. during prophase I.
Two identical cells are formed per cycle. Four haploid cells (n) are formed per cell cycle.
The daughter cells are genetically identical. The daughter cells are not genetically identical
because of crossing over.
Mitosis occurs only in body cells. Meiosis occurs only in reproductive cells.
Mitosis is involved in growth and repair. Meiosis is involved in the production of gametes
and providing genetic variation in organisms.
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Activity 1: Cell Cycle Mechanism.
Directions: Use the diagram below to answer the following question.
Source: [Link]
Questions:
1. What are the phases of the cell cycle?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. In what phase of a cell cycle does cell grow and prepare for DNA synthesis?
________________________________________________________________
3. During a cell cycle, when is a cell’s DNA continue to grow and prepare for mitosis?
__________________________________________________________________
4. In what phase of the cycle does cell division occur?
___________________________________________________________________________
Activity 2: A Closer Look
Directions: Read carefully the information given in the following selection.
Accomplish the T Chart below to compare and contrast mitosis from meiosis as to number
of nuclear division, chromosome number, number of daughter cell, and location in a cell.
Mitosis and Meiosis are both forms of nuclear division that share some distinct differences that result to the change in number of
chromosomes and cells produced. Mitosis occurs only in body cells. It is a single nuclear division that results in two daughter cells
genetically identical to the original cell having two sets of chromosomes (2n). On the other hand, Meiosis occurs only in
reproductive cells. It is two nuclear divisions that result in four new daughter cells. The resulting cells from meiosis are not
genetically identical, they contain one set of chromosomes only (n). Cells produced by mitosis will function in different parts of the
body as part of their growth, replacing damaged or dead cell. Cells produced by meiosis will function in sexual reproduction.
MITOSIS MEIOSIS
