LIFE CYCLE OF THE CELL and INTERPHASE

Typically, the life cycle of a cell begins when the cell is produced by cell division.
Daughter cells produced by mitosis either maintain their ability to divide again or will
permanently remain in interphase. Interphase is the stage in the life cycle of the cell
when the cell is performing all its normal metabolic functions except division.
Interphase for cells that maintain their ability to undergo mitosis is divided into three
stages, G1, S, and G2. Cells that lose their ability to divide are described as being in
permanent interphase, G0.

In preparation for mitosis, the interphase cell begins preparations for division
with the duplication of the chromosomes and the centrioles. The following
illustrations show the duplication of the chromosomes and the centrioles in a pre-
mitotic animal cell.
 MITOSIS - WHITEFISH BLASTULA
Mitosis is the process of cell division in which the nucleus divides to produce two
nuclei with the same types and numbers of chromosomes. Typically, at the end of
mitosis the process of cytokinesis (the division of the cytoplasm) results in the
formation of two new daughter cells, each with one of the identical nuclei formed
by mitosis. Mitosis is a continuous event but for study mitosis is divided into the
following sequential four stages: (1) prophase, (2) metaphase, (3) anaphase, and
(4) telophase.

The following illustrations and videos present mitosis as seen in the slide
preparations of the "Whitefish blastula." The preparation is made from the
embryonic stage called the blastula, the stage characterized by a spherical layer
of cells surrounding a central fluid-filled cavity. The blastula is sectioned and
typically many of the sections are included on the preparation. Thus, microscopic
observation for the stages of mitosis requires searching the sections for the cells
that show the events that characterize each stage.

Prophase (whitefish)
Prophase is the first stage of mitosis and includes the following events: the
nuclear membrane disappears, the nucleoli disappear, a pair of centrioles moves
to form each pole and the mitotic spindle forms between the poles (centrioles),
aster fibers extend from the poles (centrioles), and the replicated DNA begins to
condense into distinctive chromosomes.
 WATCH VIDEO OF PROPHASE CELLS (WHITEFISH)

Metaphase (whitefish)
Metaphase is the second stage of mitosis and is characterized by the alignment of
the chromosomes along the equator of the cell.

WATCH VIDEO OF METAPHASE CELLS (WHITEFISH)

Anaphase (whitefish)
Anaphase is the third stage of mitosis and is characterized by the separation of
the chromosomes and the movement of the each of the replicated chromosomes
toward opposite poles.
Anaphase is the third stage of mitosis and is characterized by the separation of
the chromosomes and the movement of the each of the replicated chromosomes
toward opposite poles.

WATCH VIDEO OF ANAPHASE CELLS (WHITEFISH)

Telophase (whitefish)
Telophase is the fourth (last) stage of mitosis and begins when the chromosomes
stop their movement at the poles. Telophase is characterized by the dispersal of
the chromosomes into chromatin, the nuclear membrane reforms, the nucleoli
reappear, and the mitotic spindle and aster fibers disappear. Mitosis is complete
with the formation of two nuclei, each with the same number and types of
chromosomes. The formation of a cleavage furrow, part of cytokinesis (division
of the cytoplasm) is evident during telophase.
 WATCH VIDEO OF TELOPHASE CELLS (WHITEFISH)

Cytokinesis and Daughter Cells (whitefish)

At the completion of mitosis, the cell usually divides into two cells, each with one
of the newly formed nuclei. Cytokinesis is defined as the division of the cytoplasm
and is characterized by the formation of the cleavage furrow. Usually, the
cleavage furrow begins to form during anaphase and at the end of telophase its
inward movement results in the division of the cell into the two daughter cells.

WATCH VIDEO OF DAUGHTER CELLS (WHITEFISH)