Mitosis Glossary Glossary of common mitosis terms. Prefixes and Suffixes Common biology prefixes and suffixes. Mitosis Cell division is an elegant process that enables organisms to grow and reproduce. Through a sequence of steps, the replicated genetic material in a parent cell is equally distributed to two daughter cells. While there are some subtle differences, mitosis is remarkably similar across organisms.
Some references only consider the last four to be the distinct phases of mitosis.
Let's briefly look at each step in the process. Some 90 percent of a cell's time in the normal cellular cycle may be spent in this phase. In prophase, the chromatin condenses into discrete chromosomes. In this last stage, the chromosomes are cordoned off in distinct new nucleuses in the emerging daughter cells. Onion root tip images courtesy of The Entangled Bank .