Cell Biology Practice Test: Cellular Reproduction - Cell Cycle, M-Phase, & Meiosis. — Flashcards

Cellular reproduction is a process that involves cells copying their contents and dividing to create multiple cells with similar contents. The process of a cell splitting into two genetically identical copies is called mitosis. 

The cell cycle is a four-stage process that occurs as a cell grows and divides:
Gap 1 (G1): The cell increases in size.
Synthesis (S): The cell copies its DNA.
Gap 2 (G2): The cell prepares to divide.
Mitosis (M): The cell divides. 
The G1, S, and G2 stages are collectively known as interphase, which is the period between cell divisions.

Here's how cellular reproduction works:
A cell makes a second copy of all the DNA in its nucleus.
The DNA is condensed into rod-like structures called chromosomes.
The outer membrane of the cell pinches inward until the new cells separate from each other.
The contents of the parent cell are copied and divided between the two daughter cells. 
The ability of cells to divide is unique to living organisms. 

Meiosis is a type of cell division that produces eggs and sperm cells, also known as gametes. 

Meiosis differs from normal cell division, called mitosis, in that the genetic material of the parent cell is divided twice. Meiosis involves two rounds of cell division to produce four haploid cells from a single diploid cell.