This activity and guide has been thoughtfully designed to help you fully understand exactly what's happening at every stage of mitosis.
What is mitosis?
Mitosis is a type of cell division where cells divide to produce new cells.
Mitosis is the process that takes place when:
an organism grows
an organism becomes damaged and needs to produce new cells
organisms like bacteria reproduce Reproduction that does not involve sex cells.
How many cells are formed as a result of mitosis?
Mitosis will produce two daughter cells which are genetically identical to the parent cell. If this is a human cell, it will contain all 46 chromosomes with the full DNA to make an exact copy of that person.
These cells are known as diploid cells because they have both sets of chromosomes.
Mitosis - interactive activity
This interactive activity will show you exactly what's happening inside the cell as it progresses through the stages of mitosis.
What are the stages of the cell cycle?
Let's go through the stages of cell division. Use the interactive activity as a visual reference point.
The first stage: Interphase
Interphase is the longest stage of the cell cycle. DNA replicates to form two copies of each chromosome, ready for cell division. This then produces new sub-cellular structures such as mitochondria, ribosomes and chloroplasts.
The second stage: Mitosis
During this stage, one set of chromosomes is pulled to the sides of the cell and the nucleus divides.
The phases of mitosis are known as prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. You do not need to learn these terms, just be able to describe the main changes.
The third stage: Cytokinesis
Cytokinesis is where the cytoplasm and cell membranes divide to form two identical daughter cells.
Where can I learn more about cell division and the cell cycle?
Check out the BBC Bitesize guide to the cell cycle for videos, text explainers, infographics and more Combined Science GCSE revision resources.
The other type of cell division is called meiosis. Find out more about meiosis in this study guide and learn the difference between mitosis and meiosis.
For revision on the go, BBC Bitesize and BBC Sounds have produced a series of GCSE revision podcasts, covering a broad range of Combined Science biology topics. Listen to the full series on the cell or go straight to the episode about mitosis and meiosis.
Where can I test my knowledge of mitosis and cell division?
BBC Bitesize has quizzes and questions to help you test your knowledge of OCR 21st Century GCSE Combined Science biology, including:
A ten-question quiz about organisms and cells with questions about mitosis and meiosis.
Topic-led exam practice questions based on GCSE OCR 21st Century past papers, giving you the option to choose the specific area you'd like to focus on.
Exam-style questions based on GCSE Combined Science biology OCR 21st Century past papers.
Quick-fire quizzes with new GCSE Combined Science questions available every time you reload the page.