Which of the following statements about mitosis is not correct?
Answer Details
The statement that is not correct about mitosis is "four daughter cells are produced."
Mitosis is a process of cell division that occurs in somatic cells (non-reproductive cells) of eukaryotic organisms. It is a type of asexual reproduction that results in the formation of two genetically identical daughter cells, each containing the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.
During mitosis, the DNA in the parent cell is replicated and separated into two identical sets of chromosomes. These chromosomes then line up in the middle of the cell and are pulled apart by spindle fibers, which leads to the formation of two daughter cells. Each daughter cell contains a complete set of chromosomes and is genetically identical to the parent cell.
In contrast, the formation of four daughter cells is a characteristic of meiosis, which is a type of cell division that occurs in the cells of reproductive organs. Meiosis involves the formation of bi-valents, which are pairs of homologous chromosomes that exchange genetic material through a process called crossing over, resulting in genetic variation in the daughter cells. Additionally, chiasmata, which are points of crossing over, are formed during meiosis but not during mitosis.
Therefore, the statement "four daughter cells are produced" is not correct about mitosis, since mitosis only produces two daughter cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell.