Chapter 12, Problem 1TYK

Which statement about the daughter cells following mitosis and cytokinesis is correct?

a. They are genetically different from each other and from the parent cell.

b. They are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell.

c. They are genetically identical to each other but different from the parent cell.

d. Only one of the two daughter cells is genetically identical to the parent cell.

Summary Introduction

Introduction:

Mitosis and cytokinesis are the processes of cell division, where parental chromosome replicates and produces homologous chromosomes that are equally divided into two daughter cells.

Answer to Problem 1TYK

Correct answer:

The daughter cells are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell after mitosis and cytokinesis.

Explanation of Solution

Explanation/Justification for the correct answer:

Option (b) is given that the daughter cells are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell. Mitosis is a type of cell division. During mitosis, the genetic material of the parent cell is replicated or copied. This replication is followed by the division of the genetic material; that is, the nucleus divides into two parts.

The process of cytokinesis or the division of cytoplasm follows the mitosis process. In this process, the parent cell’s cytoplasm divides and two daughter cells are formed. The mitotic division is also known as cellular replication because the daughter cells are exact copies of the parent cell and are identical to each other as well. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Explanation for incorrect answers:

Option (a) is given that the daughter cells are genetically different from each other and from the parent cell. The mitosis is the process of replication of the chromosomes of the parent cell and its division into two daughter cells. The cytoplasm divides equally into two daughter cells after mitosis by the process of cytokinesis. So, it is a wrong answer.

Option (c) is given that the daughter cells are genetically identical to each other, but different from the parent cell. The process of mitosis and cytokinesis divides the genetic material as well as the cytoplasm of the parent cell into two daughter cells. Thus, the daughter cells are identical to each other and to the parent cell also. So, it is a wrong answer.

Option (d) is given that only one of the two daughter cells are genetically identical to the parent cell. The mitosis followed by cytokinesis divides the genetic material as well as the cytoplasm of the parent cell into two daughter cells. Therefore, the daughter cells are genetically identical to each other and to the parent cell also. So, it is a wrong answer.

Hence, options (a), (c), and (d) are incorrect.

Conclusion

After mitosis and cytokinesis, the two replicated copies of the genetic material formed from the parent cell during mitosis get equally divided into two daughter cells.