Cell Reproduction

Cell Reproduction

Cell Reproduction

Todd Pool

November 11, 2012

Introduction to Biology

Carol Hoban

Cell reproduction is complex cycle in which a cell produces another cell. The cycle is broken down into two different stages, interphase and mitosis. The process consists of a parent cell producing two daughter cells. Basically the cell splits in half and passes its chromosomes onto both.

The cell spends most of its time in interphase. During interphase, the DNA of the cell is replicated. Interphase is made up of three different stages. The first stage is G1. During G1, the cell will add twice as many organelles. The next stage is S. During this stage the chromatid will turn into sister chromatids. The final stage of interphase is called the G2. During this stage the DNA replication is completed and the cell prepares for mitosis.

According to Mader (2009), mitosis consists of four different phases. These phases are responsible for different changes within the cell that will eventually lead to the creation of two cells. The first phase is called Prophase. Prophase leads to the breakdown of the nucleus. The chromosomes then begin to head towards opposite poles of the cell. The next phase is metaphase. During metaphase, the chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell and overlap. The next phase is anaphase in which the chromatids separate and become two chromatids with each set going to different poles. The final phase is called Telophase. During Telophase two new nucleuses are created around each set of chromosomes.

The cell reproduction process is delicate but happens all the time. Sometimes if the cells continue to reproduce then they can cause cancer. According to Stanford Medicine (2012), cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. Many types of cancer exist but some forms are more aggressive than others. The worst forms of cancer have a very high mitotic index. This is the rate in which cells reproduce or are in the process of reproducing faster than...