Science Common Sense
1431 - What is the process of mitosis?
Imagine your cells are like tiny houses, and the stuff inside the house (DNA) needs to be copied so a new house (cell) can be made. That's basically what mitosis is. Here's how it works in 6 steps:
- Interphase: The house (cell) gets ready for copying by making a copy of the DNA (stuff inside).
- Prophase: The copied DNA gets wrapped up into tight little 'packages' called chromosomes. The house starts to get messy, and the furniture (organelles) starts moving out.
- Metaphase: All the chromosome packages line up in the middle of the house (cell).
- Anaphase: The chromosome packages start moving to opposite sides of the house (cell).
- Telophase: The chromosome packages uncoil back into their normal shape (DNA), and the cell starts to clean up.
- Cytokinesis: The house (cell) splits into two new identical houses (cells), each with the copied DNA.
This process is called mitosis, and it's how your body makes new cells!