Mitosis

Make sure you understand the phases of Mitosis for tomorrow's class!  

This is an animal cell undergoing mitosis like we discussed in class today. Mitosis is when a cell divides into two and FORMS TWO EXACT NUCLEI.  After the nuclei are formed, the rest of the cell splits (the cytoplasm and cell structures are divided up) through "CYTOKINESIS" (important term).  Remember, most of the time, a cell is in Interphase doing normal cell functions (also growing and duplicating it's DNA).  But, when it's time to divide it begins the process of Mitosis as shown here:



Image taken from: accessexcellence.org


Plant cells also undergo mitosis, but it is different because the plant cell forms a "cell plate" instead of undergoing cytokinesis!


On Thursday in class you will be looking at Onion Plant Cells going through Mitosis. You will have to identify three different stages for a lab grade.  If you can correctly point all FIVE phases of Mitosis, you can count that towards 10 points of your cell project part B! :)


Here are some examples of what you might see:

Image take from: faculty.cbu.ca


We talked in class about how you have mitosis going on in your body cells all the time.  That is a good form of mitosis, but mitosis can be bad if a "bad" cancer cell is undergoing mitosis.  The definition of cancer is "a disease in which some cells in the body divide uncontrollably."  

Cells: Structure and Function

Hopefully, your cell project is going well and you are starting to "get it".  Cells really are similar to a city with many different jobs that have to be done.  Cells are just smaller and have organelles instead!  If you had to compare them, you could say the nucleus is like the "mayor" or "boss" of the city,  the lysosomes are like the "trash collectors", the endoplasmic reticulum is the "highway", etc.  Tomorrow is our quiz.  Here is a good website to use to study...http://www.neok12.com/Cell-Structures.htm  We did some of these quizzes in class.  I think you'll find them helpful!