These are control mechanisms in the cell cycle that ensure each stage is completed accurately before proceeding to the next. They prevent errors such as DNA damage and incomplete replication.
Think of cell cycle checkpoints like quality control inspectors in a factory assembly line. They check each product (in this case, cells) at various stages of production to make sure everything is up to standard before moving on.
Mitosis: This is the process where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.
Cytokinesis: The final stage in cell division where the cytoplasm of a parent cell splits into two daughter cells.
DNA Replication: The process by which an entire double-stranded DNA molecule is copied to produce two identical DNA molecules.
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