What role does mitosis play in fetal development? How does the same DNA get in every cell?
Mitosis is a crucial process in fetal development as it allows for the growth and development of a multicellular organism from a single fertilized egg. During mitosis, the genetic material (DNA) of a cell is replicated and divided equally into two genetically identical daughter cells. This ensures that every cell in the developing fetus contains the same DNA.
Mitosis occurs in various stages, including interphase (where the DNA is replicated), prophase (where the chromosomes condense), metaphase (where the chromosomes align in the center of the cell), anaphase (where the sister chromatids separate and move towards opposite ends of the cell), and telophase (where the chromosomes decondense and nuclear envelopes form around them). Finally, cytokinesis takes place, which physically splits the cell into two daughter cells.
The DNA replication process ensures that each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes during cell division. The DNA is copied during interphase, where the double-stranded DNA molecule unwinds, and each strand serves as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand. This results in two identical DNA molecules, consisting of one "old" and one newly synthesized strand. When mitosis occurs, these replicated DNA molecules are equally distributed among the daughter cells, thereby passing on the same genetic information to each cell.
In summary, mitosis plays a significant role in fetal development as it allows for the growth and proliferation of cells, ensuring that each cell contains the same DNA through accurate replication and equal distribution of genetic material.