mitotic nuclear division

Definition

Target type: biologicalprocess

A mitotic cell cycle process comprising the steps by which the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell divides; the process involves condensation of chromosomal DNA into a highly compacted form. Canonically, mitosis produces two daughter nuclei whose chromosome complement is identical to that of the mother cell. [ISBN:0198547684]

Mitotic nuclear division, also known as karyokinesis, is the process by which the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell divides during cell division. This process ensures that each daughter cell receives a complete set of chromosomes. It is a highly orchestrated process involving a series of intricate steps:

1. **Prophase:**
- The replicated chromosomes condense, becoming visible under a microscope.
- The nuclear envelope breaks down, and the nucleolus disappears.
- Microtubules, forming the mitotic spindle, begin to assemble from the centrosomes, which have moved to opposite poles of the cell.

2. **Prometaphase:**
- The mitotic spindle fibers attach to the kinetochores, protein structures located at the centromeres of the chromosomes.
- Chromosomes are moved towards the center of the cell by the microtubules.

3. **Metaphase:**
- All chromosomes are aligned at the metaphase plate, an imaginary plane equidistant from the two poles of the spindle.
- Each chromosome is attached to microtubules emanating from both poles, ensuring that each daughter cell receives one copy of each chromosome.

4. **Anaphase:**
- Sister chromatids, held together by the centromere, are pulled apart by the shortening of microtubules.
- The separated chromatids now move to opposite poles of the cell.

5. **Telophase:**
- The chromosomes reach the poles of the cell and decondense.
- The nuclear envelope reforms around the chromosomes, forming two new nuclei.
- The nucleolus reappears.

6. **Cytokinesis:**
- Cytoplasmic division begins during telophase and continues after the nuclear division is complete.
- In animal cells, a cleavage furrow forms, pinching the cell membrane inward until the cytoplasm is divided into two daughter cells.
- In plant cells, a cell plate forms in the middle of the cell, gradually developing into a new cell wall separating the two daughter cells.

Mitotic nuclear division is a fundamental process for the growth and development of multicellular organisms. It ensures that each daughter cell receives a complete set of genetic information, maintaining the integrity of the genome. This process is tightly regulated to ensure that errors in chromosome segregation are minimized, preventing genetic abnormalities.'
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