Cytokinesis
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EUGENE M. MCCARTHY, PHD GENETICS
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Cell division in an amoeba Robinson et al. |
Late Telophase
Although it is in fact one of the steps in the cell cycle, cytokinesis (pronounced SĪ-tō-kə-NEE-səs) is not one of the phases of mitosis or meiosis. It is the division of the cytoplasm (as opposed to karyokinesis, which is division of the nucleus). It begins as the cell starts to lengthen during anaphase, and ends when the separation of the two daughter cells is complete at the end of telophase. Division of the cytoplasm occurs in both mitosis and meiosis.
After mitosis, the cell returns to interphase, which recall, is the growth stage of the cell cycle between successive mitoses (interphase is the stage during which DNA synthesis, or replication, occurs).
The division of the cytoplasm, and of the nucleus, are over now and there are two daughter cells. The chromosomes have decondensed once again and are now re-enclosed in a nuclear envelope. Mitosis is now complete.
Mitosis and meiosis compared >>