during what process does the cell divide into two daughter cells?
The process in which a cell divides into two daughter cells is called cell division. There are two main types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis.
Mitosis is a type of cell division that occurs in somatic cells (body cells) of multicellular organisms. It is responsible for growth, repair, and maintenance of the body. Mitosis consists of several stages, including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, followed by cytokinesis. During cytokinesis, the cytoplasm of the cell divides, resulting in the formation of two genetically identical daughter cells.
Meiosis, on the other hand, is a specialized cell division process that occurs in reproductive cells (germ cells). Its main purpose is to produce gametes (sperm and egg cells) for sexual reproduction. Meiosis involves two rounds of nuclear division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II. These divisions result in the formation of four genetically diverse daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.
So, if you are asking specifically about cell division in general, the process is called cell division. However, if you are asking about the process that leads to the formation of two genetically identical daughter cells, it is mitosis.