Cell Division and Stem Cells
Your body contains cells with 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs (half from mum, half from dad). The cell cycle, which takes less than 24 hours, involves mitosis to produce two identical daughter cells. During this process, the genetic material is doubled to ensure each new cell gets a complete set of chromosomes.
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can develop into many different cell types. They're incredibly important for growth and development. In humans, egg and sperm cells fuse to form a zygote (a single cell), which then divides and becomes an embryo. The cell cycle has three main stages growth and DNA replication, division of chromosomes, and division of cytoplasm and cell membrane.
Stem cells have enormous potential for medicine and research. In plants, they can be used to produce clones quickly, which helps preserve rare species from extinction. Scientists can also use them to study how genetic changes affect development.
Important! Enzymes are biological catalysts that control chemical reactions in living organisms. Their specific shape allows them to join with substrate molecules, which is vital for their function.