Mitosis

Cell Division

Rikelmy Burgos, Eddy Wu Chaney, Diego

Gutierrez, James Jeannis, Andy Persaud

Burgos, Chaney, Gutierrez, Jeannis, Persaud

Mitosis [mahy-toh-sis], derived from the greek word mitos, which mean myth, is the
process whereby the cell reproduces itself; a parent cell divides into two daughter cells. It
consists of a nuclear division, the division of the cell's nucleus, and a cytoplasmic division, the
division of the cytoplasm of a cell following nuclear division. When the cell divides it results in
two identical cells called daughter cells, each containing the same number of chromosomes (23
pairs) and genetic content as that of the original cell. For example, when cells die in the body,
other living cells reproduce by process of mitosis to replenish the population of cells. Mitosis is
divided into 5 stages known as prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis.
Mitosis produces cell in our body for growth and repair. There are 3 primary function of
mitosis: Tissue repair, growth and asexual reproduction. The tissue repair is practically the
process of repairing your skin when you have a cut or damage, your skin consist of millions of
cells that will reproduce when is necessary. One example is when you have a cut, there will be a
new cell that will replace the damaged one. The other function of mitosis is growth. Mitosis
creates cells that are necessary to add new and more mass to the body to ensure the growth of
your body. One example is new blood cells that are reproducing, which in turn functions as the
delivery system of your body, providing organs with oxygen and food. Asexual reproduction is
the other function of mitosis. Asexual reproduction is a new cell that has a single parent cell and
is identical to the parents cell.
Mitosis takes place in any cells in the body, but
it doesn't take place in gametes. Mitosis occurs when
the tissues are damaged, such as when the skin gets cut.
Mitosis is a quick form of cell division that heals the
skin so it can have a new layer of skin. Mitosis can
occur in the body anywhere and wherever there are cells
that need to be replaced or cells that are damaged, new
cells will be produced. Mitosis takes place after the g2
stage of interphase ends.
The process of Mitosis starts when the
chromosomes condense, and the separation of the DNA
nuclear membrane occurs from the cytoplasm into the
membrane vesicles. After the separation, the ribosomes
dissolve and two identical daughter cells are produced
and they are similar to their parent cells as well.
Therefore, mitosis is also considered as a continuous
process which is divided into four stages sequentially,
known as prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and
telophase.

NURSING STANDARD / RCN

PUBLISHING

During the prophase, chromatin condense, centrioles divide, kinetochore fibers forms,
and leave behind spindle apparatus. The pseudo-second stage of mitosis that is not mention very
often is Prometaphase, which because of phosphorylation of the nuclear lamins causes the

Burgos, Chaney, Gutierrez, Jeannis, Persaud

nuclear membrane to break down to many small vesicles. The outcome of this stage is how the
spindle microtubules have the right to use the genetic material of the cell.
After Prometaphase ends the third stages begins which is called Metaphase. During
metaphase, the chromosomes line up along the cell equator and each chromosomes will have at
least two microtubules. If a duplicate chromosomes does not pair correctly in the metaphase
plate, this will result in the pair not moving properly to each pole in anaphase. The outcome will
be having one cell with two copies of the chromosome, whereas the other cell has none.
Furthermore, the cell that received an extra copy of a chromosome will increase in expression of
the genes and will cause the cell to grow uncontrollably.
In the anaphase there is a splitting between the sister chromatids, and a single-chromatid
chromosomes takes place. Anaphase consists of two part, one called anaphase Athe
kinetochore microtubules becomes shorten and draw the chromosomes near the spindle poles.
The second part which is called anaphase B the polar microtubules push beside each other,
resulting in the cell stretching to the form of an oval (displaying that the cell are about to
divided). The final stage of mitosis is known as Telophase, which cause the chromosomes to
reach the cell poles and envelop around each chromatin mass. In addition, each chromosome will
become two new daughter cells with the same genetic information.
Many important steps are involved during Mitosis, Prophase, in particular, stands out. In
the stage of Prophase, the parent cell chromosomes begins to condense and develop into more
compact than they were before. Numerous DNA binding proteins accelerate the process which
will contain cohesin and condensin. During cohesion, it form rings that will sustain the sister
chromatic together, however condesin forms rings that twist the chromosomes into compressed
forms.
Errors are really rare in mitosis, but sometimes the process goes wrong and the result can
be dangerous. Although there are many types of errors, this area will be more focused on Nondisjunction. What is Non-disjunction? Concepts of Biology defines it as the inability or failure
of the separation of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids in mitosis. During that error,
one cell is given three copies of chromosomes and the other cells only have one, and they are
called aneuploidy. In the category of chromosome mutations, aneuploidy is the second major; it
cause cancer in human, especially myeloid leukemia.
To begin with, benign tumors are not always cancerous, it is very good sometimes, but it
can be serious if they hit a blood vessel or a nerve. According to WebMd, the growth of a
benign tumor might be linked to environmental toxins, such as exposure to radiation, genetics,
diet, stress, local trauma or injury, [and] Inflammation or infection. There are many types of
benign tumors, adenomas is an example of one that affects epithelial tissue of a gland, this tissue
is thin layer that cover organs. Adenomas might also grow in the thyroid gland, and the liver; the
only way to get rid of this is surgery. Another one is fibromas, which is a connective tissue that
can grow in any organ, they grow in uterus. Though it doesnt give you cancer, it can give you
heavy vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, and bladder problems. The only way to get these cured is
surgery.

Burgos, Chaney, Gutierrez, Jeannis, Persaud

A problem that mitosis can cause if the process does not goes how it is supposed to it will
lead to cancer. According to IUPUI Department of biology, Cancer is formed when a single cell
changes into a cancer cell. As soon as the cycle begins to repeat itself then the genes start to act
differently which ends up causing cancer cells to grow uncontrollably. Cancer cells will grow
forever if they are provided with nutrients. While these cells begins to pile up, it will cause the
nutrients to get tired effortlessly. In addition, when cancer cells grows irrepressibly, it leads the
cells to develop into a mass of cancer cells that will introduce to a tumor. Gene therapy, a
potential cure to cancer has been researched and applied, however the process is still in the
infancy stages. According to Genetics, mitosis and meiosis by McLafferty, Hendry and Farley,
Gene therapy is a form of treatment that aims to correct the underlying genetic defect [it
treats cancerous cells by] replacing the mutated gene with a healthy copy of the gene.
If there is a failure in the cell cycle it will lead to complications in the cell, which will
lead to cancer and cell mutations. Chromosomal instability causes the cells to try many different
tactics to get rid of the malignancies in the DNA. One such solution is to target the specific DNA
or Chromosomal segments in the newly formed cells and try to repair it. If the DNA structure is
too far damaged the parent cell will terminate the newly formed cells and prevent it from
multiplying. When cells natural functions are not enough and the cell reproduce rapidly, cancer is
usually the result. Several therapeutic strategies have been proposed for targeting the cell
division cycle in cancer. According to Manchado, Guillamot, and Malumbres, Mitotic drugs
currently used in the clinic are microtubule poisons that perturb microtubule dynamics, impairing
the formation of a proper bipolar spindle. Microtubule or miotic spindle poisons impair a
cancerous cell by destabilizing the mitotic spindles in a defective cell. The spindles are
responsible for pulling apart the copied chromosome in a cell undergoing cell division.

Burgos, Chaney, Gutierrez, Jeannis, Persaud

References
Manchado, E., Guillamot, M., & Malumbres, M. (2012). Killing cells by targeting mitosis. Cell
Death And Differentiation, 19(3), 369-377. doi:10.1038/cdd.2011.197
McLafferty, E., Hendry, C., & Farley, A. (2012). Genetics, mitosis and meiosis. Nursing
Standard, 26(48), 35-42.
Norwood, V. K. (2013). Benign Tumors: Types, Causes, and Treatments. Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/benign-tumors-causes-treatments
OpenStax College (2013). Cell Division and Genetics. Reproduction at the Cellular Level.
Concept of Biology, 7(97), 141-151.
"Cell Reproduction: Mitosis and Cancer." Cell Reproduction: Mitosis and Cancer. N.p., n.d.
Web. 12 Nov. 2014. http://www.biology.iupui.edu/biocourses/N100H/ch8mitosis.html