Chapter 12, Problem 1TMW

Why is it incorrect to call mitosis “cell division”?

Summary Introduction

To tell:

Mitosis cannot be called as cell division

Introduction:

Mitosis is a nuclear division where the nucleus divides and the amount of DNA gets duplicated. Once the cell has duplicated its DNA then it has been partitioned equally into the dividing nucleus. Thus, the ploidy of the parental cell-like haploid after mitosis synthesizes the two haploid nuclei same for diploid nucleus resulting into diploid nuclei.

Explanation of Solution

Cell division is the process where the parental cell divides into two daughter cells. Cell division is a part of the cell cycle where a series of events takes place after duplication of DNA. During cell division, the resulting daughter cells are either haploid or diploid based on the type of nuclear division. Nuclear division is a phase of cell division where the distribution of parental chromosomes takes place resulting ploidy of the cell (n, 2n etc.). There is two nuclear division which occurs in both mitosis and meiosis in which genetic material is divided and distributed after cell division.

Conclusion

Cell division occurs in two phases; nuclear division followed by the cellular division which is called cytokinesis. Hence we cannot say mitosis as cell division.