How Long Does Mitosis Take?


Quick Answer

The entire process of the division of cells, mitosis, takes between 20 and 24 hours. This time includes the preparation for the division as well as the end of the cell division process.

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Full Answer

When a cell needs to split and divide into two parts, it will utilize the process of mitosis. Mitosis allows the cell to reproduce parts on the inside and create two completely independent cells. It is a process that most cells go through and cells that are a part a living thing, such as human skin cells, go through this process more frequently than others.

The steps of mitosis are prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Interphase is the process that happens before mitosis and is able to prepare the cell for what is going to happen during mitosis. Cytokinesis occurs in animal plants and happens to two daughter cells after they have already been split into two parts. During the bulk of the mitosis process, the DNA that is in the cell begins to replicate itself, it doubles during this time. Once the DNA has double, it attaches itself to locomotive agents that will help lead it into two separate directions, the DNA will end up on opposite poles of the cell. Once the DNA has become completely separated, the cell will physically divide into two parts and the mitosis process will be over.

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