Mitosis and cytokinesis are two fundamental processes in cell division, but they are distinct phases that serve different purposes.
Mitosis is the process where a single cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells. It involves the duplication of the cell’s chromosomes and their distribution into the two new nuclei. Mitosis can be broken down into several stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. Each of these stages plays a crucial role in ensuring that each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes.
Cytokinesis, on the other hand, is the division of the cytoplasm and other organelles of the cell. This process occurs after mitosis and ensures that the two new nuclei are surrounded by their own cellular components. In animal cells, cytokinesis typically occurs through the formation of a cleavage furrow, which constricts the cell membrane and ultimately pinches the cell into two separate entities. In plant cells, a cell plate forms down the middle of the cell, which eventually develops into the cell wall separating the two new daughter cells.
In summary, while mitosis refers specifically to the process of nuclear division and chromosome segregation, cytokinesis is the subsequent process where the physical division of the cell occurs. Both processes are essential for producing two viable daughter cells in the cell cycle.