Why is mitosis important within the cell cycle?

Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)
4th Edition
ISBN:9781305389892
Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan
Publisher:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan
Chapter10: Cell Division And Mitosis
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1ITD: Biologists have long been interested in the effects of radiation on cells. In one experiment,...
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**Why is mitosis important within the cell cycle?**

Mitosis is a crucial process in the cell cycle, playing a key role in several vital biological functions. When a cell undergoes mitosis, it replicates its chromosomes and divides them evenly into two new cells. This ensures that each daughter cell receives a complete set of genetic information, which is essential for the following reasons:

1. **Growth**: As organisms grow, they need to increase their cell number. Mitosis allows for this expansion in a controlled and organized manner.
2. **Repair**: When tissues are damaged, they need to be repaired by replacing dead or damaged cells. Mitosis regenerates the necessary cells to keep the tissue healthy.
3. **Reproduction**: In unicellular organisms, mitosis is a method of asexual reproduction, leading to the production of genetically identical offspring.
4. **Genetic Consistency**: Mitosis maintains the same number of chromosomes in daughter cells as the parent cell, preserving genetic consistency across generations of cells.

Understanding mitosis is thus fundamental in comprehending how organisms grow, repair, and reproduce at a cellular level.
Transcribed Image Text:**Why is mitosis important within the cell cycle?** Mitosis is a crucial process in the cell cycle, playing a key role in several vital biological functions. When a cell undergoes mitosis, it replicates its chromosomes and divides them evenly into two new cells. This ensures that each daughter cell receives a complete set of genetic information, which is essential for the following reasons: 1. **Growth**: As organisms grow, they need to increase their cell number. Mitosis allows for this expansion in a controlled and organized manner. 2. **Repair**: When tissues are damaged, they need to be repaired by replacing dead or damaged cells. Mitosis regenerates the necessary cells to keep the tissue healthy. 3. **Reproduction**: In unicellular organisms, mitosis is a method of asexual reproduction, leading to the production of genetically identical offspring. 4. **Genetic Consistency**: Mitosis maintains the same number of chromosomes in daughter cells as the parent cell, preserving genetic consistency across generations of cells. Understanding mitosis is thus fundamental in comprehending how organisms grow, repair, and reproduce at a cellular level.
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