Mitosis and Meiosis

Experiment No. 7
 The continuity of life is based on the
reproduction of the cells ( Cell division )
Cell division: differ According to the type of organisms:
Prokaryotic organism ( Bacteria ): Binary fission, division
in half.
Unicellular algae ( Dinoflagellates): Nuclear envelope remains
intact during the cell division and the chromosome attached to
the nuclear envelope.
Unicellular algae (Diatoms): Nuclear envelope remains intact
during the cell division and the spindle form within nucleus.
Most other Eukaryotes (Includes Plant and Animals): Mitosis
and Meiosis
 Human body contains:
Somatic cells Germ line cells (sex cells)

• Contain the diploid (2n) • Contain the diploid (2n)

chromosomes number. chromosomes number.

• Divide by mitosis to • Divide by meiosis genetically

produce two genetically different gametes.
identical daughter cells.
• Oogonium and spermatogonium
• i.e. liver cells, muscle .
cells, skin cells, etc.
Why do cells divide?!
To renewal, repair, and replace
old, dead, or damaged cells.

For growth and development of

Mitosis
multicellular organisms.

Cells divide for many Asexual reproduction

reasons. For example,
To have genetic diversity in all
sexually reproducing organisms.
Meiosis
Creates sex cells (gametes)
 Mitosis: is the shortest stage of cell cycle.

 The cell cycle: is an ordered sequence of events that extends from the time a cell is first
formed from a dividing parent cell until its own division.

 In the cell cycle of a dividing cell, the mitotic (M) phase alternates with interphase.
 Cell Cycle
Divided into three main stages:
Interphase:
• Before a dividing cell enters mitosis, it undergoes a period of
growth called interphase.
• About 90% of a cell's time in the normal cell cycle may be spent in
interphase.
• Interphase including G1, S and G2 sub phases.

Mitotic phase: includes both, mitosis and cytokinesis.

• Mitosis: one copy of the DNA is distributed into each of its
daughter cells
• Cytokinesis: the cytoplasm divides and organelles are distributed into
the two new cells
 Interphase
• G1 (first gap): cell were metabolically active, synthesizing enzymes and
other proteins, and producing cytoplasmic organelles.

• G1 (G1/S) checkpoint: to ensure that everything is ready for

DNA synthesis
• S (synthesis): where DNA replication (DNA synthesis) and chromosomes
duplication occur
• G2 (second gap) :cell grows more and more to complete its preparation
for cell division.
• G2 checkpoint: to ensure the cell ability to proceed into mitosis.
• G0: non dividing stage: where some cells in multicellular organisms spent
their time if they divided very infrequently or not at all, these cells can’t over
come the G1/S checkpoint.
 Mitosis

Mitosis: is the phase where chromosomes in the nucleus are evenly divided producing
two daughter cells with identical genetic material are produced. It is two types:
Closed and open mitosis
• Open mitosis: occur in most multicellular
eukaryotic organisms where the microtubules
invades the nuclear space.
•Closed mitosis: occur in unicellular eukaryotic
organisms (i.e, yeast, fungi, algea, etc.) where the
spindles forms inside the nucleus or penetrate
the intact nuclear envelope.
Stages of Mitosis
 Prophase
• Chromatin fibers become coiled and condenses into
discrete chromosomes.
Animal cell
• Each chromosome having two chromatids joined at a
centromere.
• Centrosomes polymerized help in forming the mitotic
spindle apparatus (plants have no Centrosomes).
• The spindle fibers elongate and the two centrosomes
get apart from each other and each one move to the
opposite pole of the cell.
• Nucleolus disappears
plant cell • The nuclear envelope disintegrates and disappear.
• Mitotic spindle begins to form .
Sister Chromatids
 Metaphase
Animal cell
• The nuclear membrane disappears
completely.
• Chromosomes become shorter and
thicker.
• Chromosomes move until they attach at
their kinetochores to kinetochore
microtubules from both sides of their
centromeres.
• Chromosomes align at the metaphase
plate (Mid plane) of the cell.

plant cell
 Anaphase
Animal cell
• Shortening of the kinetochore microtubules
separate the paired sister chromatids separate.
• The paired sister chromatids being moving
(separate ) toward opposite ends of the cell as their
kinetochore microtubules shorten.
• The cell elongate as their non- kinetochore
microtubules lengthen and elongate and by sliding
of the non kinetochore microtubules over each
other at the centre of the cell.
• Chromosomes reach their maximal level of
condensation (most visible).
• Once the paired sister chromatids separate from
one another, each is considered a "full"
chromosome.

plant cell
 Telophase
• Here, the events of prophase will be
reversed.
• Nuclei begin to form at opposite poles.

• The nuclear envelopes of these nuclei from

remnant pieces of the parent cell's nuclear
envelope and from pieces of the
endomembrane system.
• Nucleoli also reappear.
• The chromosomes become less condensed
plant cell Animal cell (thread like structure).
• Any remaining of spindle microtubules
disappear.
Cytokinesis the division of the cell's cytoplasm.

Cytokinesis:
• It is not a stage of mitosis

In animal cells:
• It takes place a process called Cleavage.
• Cleavage takes place by furrow formation on the surface of
the cell and goes inward.
• Cleavage furrow occurs when contractile ring of actin
microfilaments associated with the myosin protein contract.
• The contraction of microtubules pinching the cells into two
daughter cells.
Direction of formation: outward to intward
Direction of formation: cell surface inward
Cytokinesis:

• It is not a stage of mitosis

In Plant cells

• It takes place by Vesicles formation.

• Vesicles derived from Golgi apparatus and move along the

microtubules to the centre of the cell, coalesces together to form
the cell membrane and the materials of the cell plate deposited
in between .

• The new plasma membrane fused with the old one.

• Then the materials of the secondary cell wall deposit out side
the cell plate.
Meiosis
Mitotic division are known as meiosis I and meiosis II that
important in traits transmission and gametes production.
• During meiosis I, homologous
pairs of chromosomes are
separated.
• During meiosis II, the sister
chromatids of each chromosomes
are separated (as in mitosis).
Meiosis I- prophase I
• As in mitosis,
 Centrosome moves to the opposite pole.
 Spindle fibers formed
 Nucleolus disappear
 Nuclear envelope fragmented and disappear
 Chromosomes condensed and form sister chromatids.

• At late of prophase, chromosomes are further condense and

microtubules invading the nuclear envelope attaching to the
kinetochore at the centromere.

• Main events at prophase I:

 Synapsis
 Crossing over
Synapsis and Crossing over
Metaphase I
• Alignment of the paired homologous
chromosomes on the equatorial plate of the
cell in a random orientation along the plate

• This random alignment resulting in an

independent assortment in order to
increase genetic variation
Anaphase I
• Homologous pairs separated from each other.

• Shortening of kinetochore microtubules moving

each pair to the opposite ends of the cell.

• Lengthen of the non- kinetochore microtubules

aids in cell elongation.
Telophase I and Cytokinesis
• At telophase each half of the cell has a haploid set of
chromosome with each chromosome consisted of
sister chromatids.

• Reappearance of nuclear envelope and nucleolus.

• Cytokinesis occurs simultaneously with telophase

forming two haploid daughter cells
Meiosis II
• Is the second mitotic division.

• Involve the segregation of sister chromatids.

• Similar to mitosis.

• Resulted in four haploid daughter cells genetically distinct from each other and from the
parent cell.

• Meiosis II phases including: Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II and Telophase II followed
by Cytokinesis.
In anaphase II: splitting of centromere takes place and the chromatids separated from each other:
Gametogenesis
• Is the production of gametes.

• Spermatogenesis the
formation and development
of sperms in adult human
males.

• Oogenesis the development

of mature oocytes (eggs) in
human females.
Differences between Mitosis and Meiosis
 The Practical part
Study the followings:
 Models of Mitosis in plants and Animals

 Charts for Meiosis

 Examine the mitosis in a slide of Root tip and identify each phase
 Practical Part
exam i n ati o n a p rep are d s l i d e o f a l o n g i t u d i n al s e c ti o n o f an al l i u m ( o n i o n ) ro o t ti p .
The End