Mitosis is a part of the cell cycle in which chromosomes in a cell nucleus are separated into two identical sets and incorporated into the nuclei of the resulting daughter cells.
As the parent cell prepares to replicate, the chromosomes are duplicated, condensed, and aligned along the middle of the cell (metaphase plate). Spindle fiber microtubules extend from opposite sides of the cell and attach to the chromosomes, which are then pulled apart and form the new nuclei. The cell then divides in half through a process called cytokinesis to form the two daughter cells.
This confocal fluorescence microscopy sequence depicts the process with the chromosomes shown in red and the microtubules shown in light green. Fluorescent proteins are used to selectively label the different components of the cell for study.
Source: http://www.microscopyu.com/moviegallery/c1si/mitosiseb3/index.html (Nikon)
#ScienceGIF #Science #GIF #Biology #Mitosis #Cell #Division #Replication #Chromatids #Spindle #Microtubules #Fluorescence #Microscopy #Nikon #Metaphase #Chromosomes View Original Post on Google+
