cell division
Other forms: cell divisions
When an organism's tiny building blocks undergo a process of splitting into two parts, that's cell division. Another name for cell division is "mitosis."
If you study biology, you'll learn about cell division, when a cell divides into two smaller "daughter cells." During cell division, all the tiny elements of the cell also divide — including the cell's chromosomes, nucleus, and mitochondria. The new cells are genetically identical to the original cell. In addition to mitosis, the simple division of one cell into two, there's also meiosis, when a cell splits into four new cells, each with half the original number of chromosomes.
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the process in reproduction and growth by which a cell divides to form daughter cells
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synonyms:
cellular division
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types:
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amitosis
the direct method of cell division characterized by simple division of the nucleus without formation of chromosomes
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cleavage, segmentation
(embryology) the repeated division of a fertilised ovum
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meiosis, miosis, reduction division
(genetics) cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms; the nucleus divides into four nuclei each containing half the chromosome number (leading to gametes in animals and spores in plants)
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mitosis
cell division in which the nucleus divides into nuclei containing the same number of chromosomes
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nondisjunction
meiosis in which there is a failure of paired homologous chromosomes to separate; results in an abnormal number of chromosomes in the daughter cells
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type of:
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biological process, organic process
a process occurring in living organisms
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