1. Mitosis

2. Cells divide to make more.
When a cell divides into 2 new cells, ½ of the material of the “parent” cell ends up in each new “daughter” cell.
Since there is only one parent, this is a form of asexual reproduction.

3. The regular process of cells growing and dividing is called the cell cycle.
A cell can’t just divide in half. If it did, the new cells would only have half of the parent cell’s genetic material (DNA).
DNA is a cell instructions for how to properly make protein. If a cell only had ½ the DNA, it wouldn’t be able to function properly.
Therefore a cell has to make a copy of its DNA before it can divide.

4. Cell Division = Mitosis
Cell division occurs in a series of stages or phases:
Interphase
Prophase
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
Cytokinesis
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5. 1st: Interphase (growth)
Interphase is the stage a cell is in most of the time.
This the time before cell division.
The cell doubles in size during this stage.

6. During interphase… The cell makes a copy of the DNA in its nucleus.
This is called DNA replication.

7. 2nd: Prophase (pair)
Once the DNA has been copied, the chromosomes pair up.
They attach together at the center.

8. Also, the nucleus loses its membrane.

9. 3rd: Metaphase (middle)
The chromosomes line up across the middle of the cell.

10. 4th: Anaphase (apart)
The chromosomes split and move to opposite ends of the cell.

11. 5th: Telophase (two) Chromosomes have reached the 2 ends of the cell.
A new nucleus starts to form around them.
The cell starts to pinch in two.

12. 6th : Cytokinesis (cut)
The cell membrane pinches in around the middle and eventually forms 2 separate cells.
Each daughter cell ends up with the same number of identical chromosomes.