Cell Division
Asexual reproduction
This involves 1 parent and the cell division is by mitosis. The offspring are identical to the parent and each other
thereby showing no variation. This is because there is no mixing in genetic information during fertilisation.
The offspring are called clones (which are genetically identical) of their parents and each other.
Asexual reproduction occurs in simple organisms and in more complex flowering plants including potatoes,
strawberries and spider plants.
Our body cells divide asexually during growth and to replace dead or damaged cells
Sexual reproduction
This involves 2 parents.
Special cells called gametes are fused together in fertilisation to form a zygote. This grows into an embryo and then
a foetus. Gametes contain half the number of chromosomes and so a different type of cell division is required:
Meiosis. At fertilisation the new zygote will then have a full set of chromosomes. The offspring are different to the
parents because they have genes from both parents and they therefore show variation.
Mitosis
Mitosis is defined as cell division giving rise to genetically identical cells
Mitosis is the common type of cell division for growth, repair and replacement of cells which have died.
It is the cell division which occurs during Asexual reproduction.
Firstly, the chromosomes must replicate and are then split apart into daughter cells.
The daughter cells contain the full number of chromosomes as the parent cells, and are therefore diploid.
The daughter cells are genetically identical to the parent cell.
Here are the steps of Mitosis:
1. The chromosomes become visible
2. Each Chromosome produces a replica of itself
3. The chromosomes line up across the middle of the cell (called the equator)
4. The chromatids separate and move to opposite ends of the cell and the cell starts to split in two
5. The chromatids become the chromosomes of the two daughter cells. The cell has finished splitting and we
now have two cells that each contain the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell
Meiosis
Meiosis is a type of nuclear division that gives rise to cells that are genetically different. It only occurs in the
reproductive organs.
Meiosis is used to form the gametes which are the sex cells and they must have half the number of chromosomes
called the haploid number. This ensures that the first cell after fertilisation will have the correct number of
chromosomes (the diploid number).
All cells formed from the zygote are copies and so the chromosome number must be correct.
Meiosis involves one parent cell undergoing two cell divisions to reduce the number of chromosomes.
First, the Homologous chromosomes separate followed by the chromatids
Four haploid daughter cells are formed from one parent cell each with a different combination of genes from each
other. This results in variation in the offspring if these gametes are used in fertilization meaning that siblings from
the same parents are different.
Here are the steps of meiosis:
1. The chromosomes become visible
2. Each chromosomes creates a replica of itself
3. Homologous chromosomes come together and arrange themselves across the middle of the cell
4. Homologous chromosomes part company and move to opposite ends of the cell which starts to split in two
5. The cell has finished splitting and the chromosomes arrange themselves across the middle of the two
daughter cells
6. The chromatids now separate from each other and the two cells start to split
7. The cells have finished splitting so we finish up with 4 daughter cells where each cell contains half the
original number of chromosomes
Humans have 46 Chromosomes in each nucleus in every normal cell.
You inherit half your chromosomes from your mother and half from your father, so your chromosomes come in
pairs.
You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in your normal body cells.
DNA – The chemical molecule deoxyribonucleic acid which contains the genes
Genes – a section of DNA which codes for a particular protein/characteristic
Chromosomes – structures which carry genes. There are 46 present in each cell
Gametes – sex cells (sperm/egg cell) They only have half the number of chromosomes (23 chromosomes)
Diploid – a word used to describe a cell with a full set of chromosomes (46)
Haploid – word to describe a cell with half the number of chromosomes
Zygote – the first cell after fertilisation. It is diploid (23 chromosomes from each gamete)
Allele – a different form of the same gene
