Cell Division and Mitosis
Think of mitosis as nature's photocopying machine - it creates exact duplicates of cells when your body needs them. The process follows a simple cycle: growth, DNA copying, division, and splitting into two identical cells.
Here's how it works: a parent cell with pairs of chromosomes makes copies of its DNA, lines up all the chromosomes in the centre, then pulls the copies to opposite ends before splitting into two daughter cells. Each new cell has exactly the same genetic information as the original.
Your body uses mitosis for three main reasons: growth (making new cells as you get bigger), repair (fixing damaged tissues when you're injured), and development (creating specialised cells as different body parts form).
Remember: Mitosis only happens in body cells, not in sex cells (gametes). In plants, this process occurs in special areas called meristems.
