Mitosis vs Cytokinesis: What's the Difference?

When a cell undergoes division, it must go through both mitosis and cytokinesis. Mitosis is the process of nuclear division, where the duplicated chromosomes are separated into two identical sets in the nucleus. This ensures that each daughter cell receives the same genetic information as the parent cell.

Cytokinesis, on the other hand, is the final step of cell division where the cytoplasm is divided to create two separate daughter cells. This process ensures that each daughter cell has its own set of organelles and cellular components to function independently.

One key difference between mitosis and cytokinesis is the focus of division. While mitosis primarily deals with the separation of genetic material in the nucleus, cytokinesis is specifically about the physical division of the cell itself.

During cytokinesis, the cytoplasm undergoes a series of changes to physically split the cell into two. This includes the formation of a cleavage furrow in animal cells or a cell plate in plant cells. These structures help in the separation of the cytoplasm to form two distinct daughter cells.

It is important to note that while mitosis and cytokinesis are separate processes, they work together to ensure the accurate division of genetic material and cellular components. Without both processes occurring in synchronization, the cell division might not be successful, leading to potential abnormalities or cell death.