Mitosis - Equational Division: Stages, Overview & Importance

Mitosis - Equational Division: Stages, Overview & Importance

Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Sep 18, 2024 05:46 PM IST

Mitosis Definition

Mitosis is the process of cell division by which one cell, called the mother cell, becomes two daughter cells; the newly developed cells are identical to the parent cell and contain identical numbers of chromosomes. It plays a very essential role in developing, growing, and repairing tissues in multi-celled organisms.

This Story also Contains
  1. Mitosis Definition
  2. What is Mitosis?
  3. The Cell Cycle
  4. Overview of Mitosis
  5. Phases of Mitosis
  6. Cytokinesis
  7. Regulation of Mitosis
  8. Significance of Mitosis
  9. Recommended video on Mitosis
  10. Practical Applications and Importance
  11. Conclusion
Mitosis - Equational Division: Stages, Overview & Importance
Mitosis - Equational Division: Stages, Overview & Importance

What is Mitosis?

Mitosis is the basis of cell division in organisms with more than one cell, and in it, the continuity of the genes. In mitosis, one cell doubles and then splits to form two daughter cells which are genetically identical and contain the exact number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The whole process is subdivided into prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, after which cytokinesis ensues. Mitosis allows for growth, development, and tissue repair; it enables an organism to replace damaged or dead cells and increase its population of cells while maintaining genetic stability.


A process of division in which a parent cell divides to produce either two or more daughter cells is called cell division. There are two types of cell division, mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, there are two genetically identical daughter cells produced from one parent cell. On the other hand, in Meiosis cells are genetically varied and the number of chromosomes becomes half what this number was in the parent cell.

Mitosis allows the growth of the organism. Injuries or wear and tear require mitosis, during which dead or damaged cells are replaced by new ones that are generally similar in every respect. Due to this controlled process of cell division, the health and function of an organism are sustained.

The Cell Cycle

  • The cell cycle is a series of stages that occur so that the cell can grow and then divide.

  • It contains four major phases:

  • G1 (Gap 1) which is marked by cell growth and preparation of the DNA for synthesis.

  • S (Synthesis), alignment of replication of DNA;

  • G2 (Gap 2), growth continuation and preparation for mitosis; and

  • M (Mitosis), where the cell divides duplicated chromosomes into two sets, yielding two daughter cells.

  • The M phase or phase of mitosis is further divided into four other sub-phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase upon completion of which is cytokinesis.

  • This phase is essential for the daughter cells to get a real and full set of chromosomes so that genetic regularity is kept in cells.

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Overview of Mitosis

Mitosis is that stage of cells where a single cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells with the exact number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The main objective of mitosis is to accommodate growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction in organisms. Unlike meiosis, which results in four genetically varied daughter cells with half the chromosome number of the parent cell, mitosis is the process vital to the structure and function maintenance of the living organism

Phases of Mitosis

1. Prophase:

  • During this stage the chromatin condenses and the chromosomes are visible.

  • The nucleolus disappears and the nuclear envelope fragments.

  • With the disappearance of the nuclear membrane, the centrioles migrate to the opposite end and the spindle formation occurs.

  • Till prophase, the chromosomes have no particular orientation because the spindle has not yet formed.

  • During late prophase or prometaphase, kinetochores appear on each side of the centromere.

  • The sister chromatids are attached to the so-called kinetochore spindle fibres with the help of kinetochore.


2. Metaphase:

  • Chromosomes become fully condensed and distinct.

  • Chromosomes move towards the equatorial plane of spindles or metaphase plates.

  • Chromosomes are arranged with their arms directed towards the pole and centromere towards the equator.


3. Anaphase:

  • The centromere splits and the two chromatids of the duplicated chromosomes separate from each other.

  • Each chromatid now becomes a daughter chromosome.

  • Daughter chromosomes, each with a centromere and single chromatid appear to move toward opposite poles.

  • Anaphase is the shortest phase of mitosis.

4. Telophase:

  • During this phase, the spindle disappears and new nuclear envelopes develop around the daughter chromosomes.

  • Each daughter nucleus contains the same number and kinds of chromosomes as the original parent cell.

  • The chromosomes become diffuse chromatin and nucleolus reappears.

  • It is followed by the division of the cytoplasm

The below diagram shows the different phases of mitosis.

Cytokinesis

  • In animal cells, cytokinesis occurs through the formation of the cleavage furrow.

  • The cleavage furrow represents the indentation of the membrane between the two daughter nuclei.

  • In plant cells, a rigid cell wall prevents the furrow formation.

  • Therefore, a new cell wall is formed between the daughter nuclei to complete the cytokinesis in plant cells.

Regulation of Mitosis

Several checkpoints and regulatory proteins largely explain how the mitotic process is controlled. These ensure that the process of cellular division during mitosis is carried out accurately. Key checkpoints include the G1/S checkpoint, the G2/M checkpoint, and the spindle assembly checkpoint, in which the preparation for cellular division is measured and ensured at a proceeding stage. Molecular regulators, such as the cyclins and the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), are central to the checkpoints and the regulation and fidelity of those checkpoints. They regulate genomic stability and prevent mutation so that each one of the daughter cells will have the correct number of chromosomes and, therefore, the integrity of the genetic information of the organism.

Significance of Mitosis

  • Mitosis results in the development of multicellular organisms, as they begin their life in the form of a unicellular zygote. It undergoes divisions to form a multicellular embryo that gives rise to a whole organism.

  • In multicellular organisms, mitosis helps in growth and repair.

  • In unicellular organisms, mitosis results in cell division.

  • Mitosis is essential to maintain the nucleocytoplasmic ratio.

Recommended video on Mitosis


Practical Applications and Importance

Cancer is a group of diseases defined by the fact that cells in the body divide and do not stop dividing maliciously. Thus, an understanding of mitosis contributes to the development of targeted therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation, which control cell division in a cancer cell. Recent progress in research and development has opened possibilities for finding more research on mitotic inhibitors used in the discovery of precision medicine approaches. Mitosis knowledge is important to regenerative medicine and in general to stem cell research, fostering hope for repairing damaged tissues and treating degenerative diseases.

Conclusion

Mitosis is an equational division process aimed at providing two daughter cells genetically similar to the parent cell. Mitosis cell division, therefore, plays fundamental roles in cell biology, based mainly on growth, repair of tissues, and asexual reproduction. The process is essential to the genetic integrity of cells. An understanding of this concept is important in the development concerning health, the process of disease treatment and research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is mitosis in simple terms?

Mitosis is defined as a process in cells where a single cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells.

2. Why is mitosis called equational division?

It is known as equational division because it divides into two identical daughter cells with the same number and type of chromosomes as the parent cell.

3. How many phases are there in mitosis?

There are four main phases in mitosis: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

4. What is prophase?

 Prophase is the initial phase of mitosis where chromosomes condense, the mitotic spindle forms and the nuclear envelope breaks down.

5. What is the importance of mitosis?

 Mitosis is important for growth, tissue repair, and maintaining genetic consistency in an organism.

6. What happens in metaphase?

In metaphase, chromosomes align at the metaphase plate, and spindle fibres attach to their centromeres, ensuring correct segregation.

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Directions for question :

M/s Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, one of the top four audit and accounting firms in the world with headquarters at London, UK, and with an operational presence in 153 countries, hires Management Trainees (MT) from all the premier management institutes of India thrice every year, in the months of January, May and September.

Each new group of Management Trainees (MT) have to go through a four month rigorous training schedule, after which they have to pass through a test consisting of a written assessment and a case-analysis. The top hundred ranked Management Trainees (MT) based on the performance in the test are confirmed as Management Executives (ME). The rest are given the opportunity of undergoing the training for four months one more time along with the next batch of Management Trainees (MT) and then passing through the subsequent test consisting of the written assessment and case-analysis. The Management Trainee (MT) who fails to get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the second time is fired.

The scatter-graph below depicts the number of Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte taking the tests from January 2020 till May 2022, and the vis-à-vis hired Management Trainees (MT) at Deloitte who were fired :

It is also known that for the month of September 2019 at Deloitte, 96 hired Management Trainees (MT) failed to be confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) the first time, and that 36 hired Management Trainees (MT) were fired. 

Question :

In which test did the minimum number of Management Trainees (MT) get confirmed as a Management Executive (ME) in the second attempt ?

Option: 1

September 2020

 

 


Option: 2

May 2021


Option: 3

January 2021

 


Option: 4

January 2022 


Directions for question:

Two friends Moloy and Niloy passed out from the Purulia Institute of Science and Technology with B.Tech degrees in Mechanical Engineering, but even after a year placement was hard to find. So they decided to take the challenge head-on, came down to Kolkata, rented a garage space on Park Street, and having an affinity towards making people enjoy good food, started their firm named 'B.Tech Bread-Omlette Wala'. 

They started with three items on the menu. One was the French Toast which could be prepared in 3 minutes. The second was the Egg Tortillas which took 15 minutes to prepare. Any one of Moloy and Niloy could prepare any one of them at a time. The third was the Egg Bhurji with French Fries. This however was prepared on an automated fryer which could prepare 3 servings at a time and took 5 minutes irrespective of the number of servings equal to or below 3. The fryer did not need anyone to attend to it, and the time to put in the raw ingredients could be neglected. So one could tend to the preparation of other items while the Egg Bhurji with French Fries were being prepared. 

They wanted to serve the orders as early as possible after the order was given. The individual items in any order were served as and when all the items were ready, and the order was then considered closed. None of the items on the menu were prepared in advance in anticipation of future orders. 

On the first day, 3 groups of customers came in and ordered at 6.00 pm, 6.10 pm, and 6.13 pm. The first order was for a plate of Egg Tortillas, two plates of French Toast, and three plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The second order was for a plate of French Toast and two plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The third order was for a plate of Egg Tortilla and a plate of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. 

On the backdrop of the above information answer the questions given :

Question: 

Assuming that the next customer's order could only be attended to when the previous customer's order was closed, at what time would the first customer's order be considered closed ?

 

Option: 1

6.15 pm

 

 


Option: 2

6.17 pm

 


Option: 3

6.18 pm

 


Option: 4

6.20 pm


Directions for question :

Six sticks of equal lengths were kept in the vertical position in an empty flower-vase, to be arranged at the six corners of a regular hexagon. The two ends of each of the sticks were of different colours. 

The top ends of the sticks were one of each of the following colours – Red, Cyan, Pink, Brown, Black and Green. The bottom ends were one of each of the following colours – Blue, Yellow, White, Orange, Purple and Grey. Both the sets of colours mentioned were in no particular order.

It was also known that :

a) The stick with the red colour was opposite to the stick with the blue colour

b) There were exactly two sticks whose both ends had colours whose names started with the same letter

c) The stick with the grey colour was adjacent to the stick with the white colour

d) The stick with the cyan colour was adjacent to both the sticks with the brown colour and the one with the blue colour

e) The stick with the purple colour was adjacent to both the sticks with the grey colour and the one with the green colour

f) The stick with the white colour was opposite to the stick with the green colour

Question :

What was the colour of the bottom end of the stick having brown colour at the top end ?

Option: 1

 White 

 


Option: 2

Yellow 


Option: 3

Black

 


Option: 4

Grey


Directions for question:

Two friends Moloy and Niloy passed out from the Purulia Institute of Science and Technology with B.Tech degrees in Mechanical Engineering, but even after a year placement was hard to find. So they decided to take the challenge head-on, came down to Kolkata, rented a garage space on Park Street, and having an affinity towards making people enjoy good food, started their firm named 'B.Tech Bread-Omlette Wala'. 

They started with three items on the menu. One was the French Toast which could be prepared in 3 minutes. The second was the Egg Tortillas which took 15 minutes to prepare. Any one of Moloy and Niloy could prepare any one of them at a time. The third was the Egg Bhurji with French Fries. This however was prepared on an automated fryer which could prepare 3 servings at a time and took 5 minutes irrespective of the number of servings equal to or below 3. The fryer did not need anyone to attend to it, and the time to put in the raw ingredients could be neglected. So one could tend to the preparation of other items while the Egg Bhurji with French Fries were being prepared. 

They wanted to serve the orders as early as possible after the order was given. The individual items in any order were served as and when all the items were ready, and the order was then considered closed. None of the items on the menu were prepared in advance in anticipation of future orders. 

On the first day, 3 groups of customers came in and ordered at 6.00 pm, 6.10 pm, and 6.13 pm. The first order was for a plate of Egg Tortillas, two plates of French Toast, and three plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The second order was for a plate of French Toast and two plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The third order was for a plate of Egg Tortilla and a plate of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. 

On the backdrop of the above information answer the questions given :

Question: 

Assuming that the next customer's order could only be attended to when the previous customer's order was closed, at what time would the third customer's order be considered closed ?

 

Option: 1

6.28 pm

 


Option: 2

6.35 pm

 


Option: 3

6.38 pm


Option: 4

6.45 pm


Directions for question:

Two friends Moloy and Niloy passed out from the Purulia Institute of Science and Technology with B.Tech degrees in Mechanical Engineering, but even after a year placement was hard to find. So they decided to take the challenge head-on, came down to Kolkata, rented a garage space on Park Street, and having an affinity towards making people enjoy good food, started their firm named 'B.Tech Bread-Omlette Wala'. 

They started with three items on the menu. One was the French Toast which could be prepared in 3 minutes. The second was the Egg Tortillas which took 15 minutes to prepare. Any one of Moloy and Niloy could prepare any one of them at a time. The third was the Egg Bhurji with French Fries. This however was prepared on an automated fryer which could prepare 3 servings at a time and took 5 minutes irrespective of the number of servings equal to or below 3. The fryer did not need anyone to attend to it, and the time to put in the raw ingredients could be neglected. So one could tend to the preparation of other items while the Egg Bhurji with French Fries were being prepared. 

They wanted to serve the orders as early as possible after the order was given. The individual items in any order were served as and when all the items were ready, and the order was then considered closed. None of the items on the menu were prepared in advance in anticipation of future orders. 

On the first day, 3 groups of customers came in and ordered at 6.00 pm, 6.10 pm, and 6.13 pm. The first order was for a plate of Egg Tortillas, two plates of French Toast, and three plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The second order was for a plate of French Toast and two plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The third order was for a plate of Egg Tortilla and a plate of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. 

On the backdrop of the above information answer the questions given :

Question: 

Suppose Moloy and Niloy had decided to process multiple orders at the same time, however strictly prioritising a first come first serve basis, when would the second customer's order be considered closed ?

Option: 1

6.20 pm

 

 


Option: 2

6.18 pm


Option: 3

6.15 pm

 


Option: 4

6.12 pm


Directions for question:

Two friends Moloy and Niloy passed out from the Purulia Institute of Science and Technology with B.Tech degrees in Mechanical Engineering, but even after a year placement was hard to find. So they decided to take the challenge head-on, came down to Kolkata, rented a garage space on Park Street, and having an affinity towards making people enjoy good food, started their firm named 'B.Tech Bread-Omlette Wala'. 

They started with three items on the menu. One was the French Toast which could be prepared in 3 minutes. The second was the Egg Tortillas which took 15 minutes to prepare. Any one of Moloy and Niloy could prepare any one of them at a time. The third was the Egg Bhurji with French Fries. This however was prepared on an automated fryer which could prepare 3 servings at a time and took 5 minutes irrespective of the number of servings equal to or below 3. The fryer did not need anyone to attend to it, and the time to put in the raw ingredients could be neglected. So one could tend to the preparation of other items while the Egg Bhurji with French Fries were being prepared. 

They wanted to serve the orders as early as possible after the order was given. The individual items in any order were served as and when all the items were ready, and the order was then considered closed. None of the items on the menu were prepared in advance in anticipation of future orders. 

On the first day, 3 groups of customers came in and ordered at 6.00 pm, 6.10 pm, and 6.13 pm. The first order was for a plate of Egg Tortillas, two plates of French Toast, and three plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The second order was for a plate of French Toast and two plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The third order was for a plate of Egg Tortilla and a plate of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. 

On the backdrop of the above information answer the questions given :

Question: 

Suppose Moloy and Niloy had decided to process multiple orders at the same time, however strictly prioritising a first come first serve basis, when would the third customer's order be considered closed ?

 

Option: 1

6.22 pm

 


Option: 2

6.25 pm


Option: 3

6.28 pm 


Option: 4

6.30 pm


Directions for question:

Two friends Moloy and Niloy passed out from the Purulia Institute of Science and Technology with B.Tech degrees in Mechanical Engineering, but even after a year placement was hard to find. So they decided to take the challenge head-on, came down to Kolkata, rented a garage space on Park Street, and having an affinity towards making people enjoy good food, started their firm named 'B.Tech Bread-Omlette Wala'. 

They started with three items on the menu. One was the French Toast which could be prepared in 3 minutes. The second was the Egg Tortillas which took 15 minutes to prepare. Any one of Moloy and Niloy could prepare any one of them at a time. The third was the Egg Bhurji with French Fries. This however was prepared on an automated fryer which could prepare 3 servings at a time and took 5 minutes irrespective of the number of servings equal to or below 3. The fryer did not need anyone to attend to it, and the time to put in the raw ingredients could be neglected. So one could tend to the preparation of other items while the Egg Bhurji with French Fries were being prepared. 

They wanted to serve the orders as early as possible after the order was given. The individual items in any order were served as and when all the items were ready, and the order was then considered closed. None of the items on the menu were prepared in advance in anticipation of future orders. 

On the first day, 3 groups of customers came in and ordered at 6.00 pm, 6.10 pm, and 6.13 pm. The first order was for a plate of Egg Tortillas, two plates of French Toast, and three plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The second order was for a plate of French Toast and two plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The third order was for a plate of Egg Tortilla and a plate of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. 

On the backdrop of the above information answer the questions given :

Question: 

A fourth customer comes in and orders two plates of French Toast at 6.24 pm. Suppose Moloy and Niloy had decided to process multiple orders at the same time, however strictly prioritising a first come first serve basis. For exactly how many minutes would one of the friends be idle from 6.00 pm till serving the last customer, assuming that the four customers were the only ones to have come in within the period being discussed ?

Option: 1

9

 


Option: 2

13


Option: 3

18


Option: 4

21


Directions for question:

Two friends Moloy and Niloy passed out from the Purulia Institute of Science and Technology with B.Tech degrees in Mechanical Engineering, but even after a year placement was hard to find. So they decided to take the challenge head-on, came down to Kolkata, rented a garage space on Park Street, and having an affinity towards making people enjoy good food, started their firm named 'B.Tech Bread-Omlette Wala'. 

They started with three items on the menu. One was the French Toast which could be prepared in 3 minutes. The second was the Egg Tortillas which took 15 minutes to prepare. Any one of Moloy and Niloy could prepare any one of them at a time. The third was the Egg Bhurji with French Fries. This however was prepared on an automated fryer which could prepare 3 servings at a time and took 5 minutes irrespective of the number of servings equal to or below 3. The fryer did not need anyone to attend to it, and the time to put in the raw ingredients could be neglected. So one could tend to the preparation of other items while the Egg Bhurji with French Fries were being prepared. 

They wanted to serve the orders as early as possible after the order was given. The individual items in any order were served as and when all the items were ready, and the order was then considered closed. None of the items on the menu were prepared in advance in anticipation of future orders. 

On the first day, 3 groups of customers came in and ordered at 6.00 pm, 6.10 pm, and 6.13 pm. The first order was for a plate of Egg Tortillas, two plates of French Toast, and three plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The second order was for a plate of French Toast and two plates of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. The third order was for a plate of Egg Tortilla and a plate of Egg Bhurji with French Fries. 

On the backdrop of the above information answer the questions given :

Question: 

Had Niloy been absent on that day, and assuming that the next customer's order could only be attended to when the previous customer's order was closed, at what time would the fourth customer's order (refer to the previous question) be considered closed ?

Option: 1

6:38 pm

 


Option: 2

6:42 pm

 


Option: 3

6:47 pm


Option: 4

6:49 pm


Directions for question:

The bar-graph given below shows the foreign exchange reserves of Nepal (in million Rupees) from 2014 to 2021. Answer the following questions based on the graph :

Question:

What was the percentage increase (rounded to the nearest integer, if deemed necessary) in the foreign exchange reserves in 2020 over 2016 ?

Option: 1 None

Option: 2 None

Option: 3 None

Option: 4 None

Directions for question:

The Jadavpur University’s Prince Anwar Shah Road hostel consists of two large separate buildings, one for the ladies and the other for the gents, while having a common kitchen and dining hall. It is the hostel of the CS and the EEC department of engineering students of the university.

In recognition of the growing dissatisfaction and hence complaints among the inmates of the hostel regarding the menu served for dinner, the Dean of the engineering department, Dr Aparesh Sanyal, personally decided to investigate the matter. He set about collecting information about the preference of dinner among the inmates, separately from the gents and the ladies wing of the hostel.

Dr Sanyal was able to gather the following partial information :  

 

Hostel inmates

Menu preference for dinner

Total

Egg Meal

Fish Meal

Chicken Meal

Gents

   

20

 

Ladies

     

64

Total

 

60

   

 

The Warden of the hostel was consulted, who after investigation declared that the following facts were clear :

1. Forty percent of the hostel inmates were ladies

2. One-third of the gentlemen inmates preferred an egg meal for dinner

3. Half the hostel inmates preferred either fish meal or chicken meal

Question:

What proportion of the lady hostel inmates preferred a fish meal for dinner ?

 

 

Option: 1

0.25

 

 


Option: 2

0.50

 


Option: 3

0.75

 


Option: 4

1.00 


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