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mitosis
(mi-to´sis)
the ordinary process of cell division resulting in formation of two daughter cells, by which the body replaces dead cells.
The daughter cells have identical diploid complements of chromosomes (46 in human somatic cells). Cell division that results in haploid reproductive cells is known as meiosis. The period between mitotic divisions is called interphase, and mitosis itself occurs in five phases: prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. adj., mitot´ic., adj.
Mitosis shown as occurring in a cell of a hypothetical animal with a diploid chromosome number of six (haploid number three);
one pair of chromosomes is short, one pair is long and hooked, and one pair is long and knobbed.
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