Question

Given alongside is a diagram representing a stage during mitotic cell division. Study it carefully and answer the questions that follows:

(i) It is a plant cell or a animal cell? Give a reason to support your answer.

(ii) Identify the stage shown.

(iii) Name the stage that follows the one shown here. How is that stage identified?

(iv) How will you differentiate between mitosis and meiosis on the basis of the chromosome number in the daughter cells?

Answer 1

(i)

1. It is a plant cell because the cell wall is present and centrioles are absent.
2. Centrioles are cylindrical organelles found near the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.

(ii)

1. The above diagram shows the late prophase.
2. Prophase is the first stage of mitosis, which is the process by which the duplicated genetic material carried in the nucleus of a parent cell is separated into two identical daughter cells.
3. The nuclear membrane and nucleolus eventually disappear during the late prophase.
4. The chromosomes are very distinct, with distinct "arms" made up of the two parts of the sister chromatids.

(iii)

1. Metaphase follows the prophase.
2. The chromosomes will be arranged at the equator attached to the spindle fibre.

(iv)

1. In Mitosis: The chromosome number in the daughter cell is the same as that of the mother cell i.e. the diploid mother cell gives rise to two diploid daughter cells.
2. In Meiosis: The chromosome number is halved in the daughter cells i.e., the diploid mother cell gives rise to four haploid daughter cells