Why must cells divide?

Purpose of Cell Division. Cell division is an essential process for organism creation, growth, and
repair. There are two main types of cell division in humans. Cells can divide to make
reproductive cells, sperm and eggs.

Cells divide for many reasons. For example, when you skin your knee, cells divide to replace old,
dead, or damaged cells. Cells also divide so living things can grow. When organisms grow, it isn't
because cells are getting larger. Organisms grow because cells are dividing to produce more and
more cells. In human bodies, nearly two trillion cells divide every day.

There are main 3 reasons why cell division occurs. Cell division serves as a means of
reproduction in unicellular organisms through binary fission. In multicellular organisms, cell
division aids in the formation of gametes, which are cells that combine with others to form
sexually produced offspring. For growth to occur in living organisms, the number of cells have to
increase through cell division until it reaches its maximum size. The human body also repairs
injuries by means of cell division. When skin is cut, the skin cells on either side of the cut divide
to make new cells that heal the wound.

Cell division is necessary for:

Mitosis is the process of cell divisionin eukaryotes. Mitosis is important as a form of

reproduction in single-celled organisms, like the amoeba. Mitosis regulates cell growth,
development, and repair in multicellular organisms. However, if mitosis is out of control, cancer
can result.

In summary, cell division is the process of one cell splitting into two identical copies. Mitosis is
the process of cell division in eukaryotes. Mitosis is important as a form of reproduction in
single-celled organisms, like the amoeba. Mitosis regulates cell growth, development, and
repair in multicellular organisms.
Differentiate chromosomes, chromatids and chromatin.

CHROMATIN : Loose form of genetic material & the “normal state” of DNA, RNA, and Protein in
the nucleus in the cells.

2. CHROMOSOME : Condensed form of chromatin, as shown in the picture.

Chromatin becomes chromosomes in the Prophase of Mitosis and Prophase I and Prophase II of
Meiosis. It loosens again in the Telophase in Mitosis and Telophase I and Telophase II in
Meiosis..

3. CHROMATID : Often known as “sister chromatids”, because the two sister chromatids in one
chromosome are identical.

Chromosomes are the things in the nucleus of a cell that carry genetic information. We're used
to seeing them looking kind of like the letter X. You have two of each, one from Mom, the other
from Dad.

Chromosomes are made of 2 chromatids. This is because you can only see them during the
stage of the cell cycle called Mitosis, when the nucleus splits. At this stage, you need 2 copies of
the genetic information, one to go into each new cell. So the cell has already copied the genetic
information. The chromatids are joined together to form the X by a structure called a
centromere.

The chromatids are made of a substance called chromatin. This is a single, very long strand of
DNA. It is spiraled up a bunch of times to be small.

So, chromatin is a long strand of DNA, containing a bunch of genes. You have 23 pairs of these,
23 from each parent, for a total of 46. The chromatin is copied, so you now have 92 strands,
that are each spiraled up to form the chromatids. The 2 copies of each chromatid are joined
together by a centromere to form a chromosome. You have 23 pairs of these, for 46 total.