what is mitosis

mitosis is the process by which one cell can divide to generate two genetically identical daughter cells. It allows a population of cells to increase in numbers.

In mitosis the cell initially creates a copy of each of the 46 chromosomes that make up its genetic identity (23 from father and 23 from mother). The 46 pairs of chromosomes line up along the midline of the cell and are subsequently divided so that each daughter cell has one chromosome from each pair resulting in daughter cell containing 46 individual chromosomes. As each pair contained identical chromosomes the two daughter cells are gentically identical. Only one cell division occurs. the process of mitosis can be broken up into 4 phases: prophase metaphase anaphase and telophase.