Be it a bitten lip or a scraped knee, your wounds take only a few days to heal. Is it sorcery? No, the simplest explanation is cell division. Your cells divide with every passing second to repair and reproduce. It helps living organisms grow and flourish.
However, eukaryotic cell division is much more complex than prokaryotic division, as the former contains multiple chromosomes. In simple words, numerous division and growth activities are taking place simultaneously in a cell division process. Getting a hold of these events would boggle anyone’s mind.
This is where you need to switch to cell division concept maps. This article explores how these concept maps visually illustrate the cell cycle and allow students to understand how a cell divides.
In this article
What is Cell Division
Simply put, cell division is a biological process, representing the division of a parent cell into two or more cells. It is a part of a larger cell cycle and signifies the production of new daughter cells. These newly formed cells also have the ability to divide and grow, maintaining the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, cell division is essential for living organisms to grow, repair, and reproduce.
Usually, cell division symbolizes mitosis in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. However, it is not exclusive to mitosis and includes another type of division known as meiosis.
1. Mitosis
The division process in which the cell makes an entire duplicate is known as mitosis. In mitosis, the cell replicates all its contents, including eyes, hair, skin, and other muscles. After this, the cell split into two identical daughter cells. Typically, mitosis is regulated by certain genes within the body. The absence of these regulatory genes can cause critical cancerous issues.
2. Meiosis
Meiosis is a division of germinal cells in which sperm and egg cells are produced. This type of cell division is crucial for sexual reproduction and produces four daughter cells instead of two. Moreover, the cells created in meiosis have different genetics and chromosomes from their parent cells.
Cell Division Concept Map Explanation
Do not have any clue how to get a hold of cell division theory? You are not alone. The overwhelming amount of cell division information can puzzle anyone’s mind. So, here is a visual takeaway on cell division with a concept map.
below. 
below. 
This cell division concept map showcases the two phases of eukaryotic cell division: interphase and mitotic phase.
☘️Explore creative Concept Map Templates with EdrawMind! Learn to craft stunning visuals effortlessly, whether you're a beginner or pro. Click now for seamless concept mapping!
1. Interphase
Interphase involves the cell preparing itself for division and undergoing routine growth activities. You can understand this phase by looking at branches in the right corner of this concept map.
- In the G0 Phase or resting phase, the cell does not divide or prepare itself for division.
- In the G1 Phase, the cell becomes active and performs routine growth functions.
- Now, the divided cells have entered the Synthesis Phase. Here, the DNA is replicated into a double helix structure for the two identical daughter cells.
- The G2 Phase involves the protein synthesis of this phase.
2. Mitosis Phase
During mitosis, the eukaryotic cell’s nucleus divides itself and produces two sister chromatids. These chromatids then form two separate chromosomes at each pole of the cell. It consists of four phases, explained by the branches on the left side of this concept map.
- Prophase
- Metaphase
- Anaphase
- Telophase
It is the longest mitosis phase. Here, the chromatin wrinkles and produces chromosomes and the nucleus membrane. This membrane acts as an envelope for the nucleus. In addition, the centrioles responsible for smoothly carrying out eukaryotic cell division start to separate during prophase. It results in spindle creation that stretches between centrioles.
Metaphase starts with the spindle fiber fully connecting to the centromere of each sister chromatid. It enables the sister chromatids to separate and go to different daughter cells during the division process. Do note that some spindles do not attach to the centromere protein. Hence, they are called non-kinetochore spindles.
It marks the separation of sister chromatids and centromere division. This step shortens the spindle fibers, and each sister chromatid moves to the opposite pole. It ends with each cell pole having a different set of chromosomes.
In telophase, the chromosomes at each pole end decondensed, and the spindle began to disappear. At the end, two nuclei are produced in the cell.
3. Cytokinesis
Cytokinesis starts after the mitosis phase and is the final stage of eukaryotic cell division. It is shown at the bottom left corner of the concept map. Here, the parent cell plasma membrane leans inward along its equator until two daughter cells are formed. In comparison, plant cells have a different cytokinesis. Here, the divided cell creates a cell plate along the equator and produces a new plasma membrane and cell wall.
Cell Division Concept Map Template
It seems manageable to learn cell division with visual aids like a concept map, right? Do you want to draft your own take on the cell division concept map? Check out this cell cycle concept map template from the EdrawMind gallery. You can also find similar cell division maps here.
This cell division concept map uses a simpler approach to explain the cell cycle to anyone just starting out. It has an easy-to-follow layout with not more than three keywords in each box. Hence, it is a perfect fresher diagram for your cell cycle guide. What makes this example stand out is the scope for editing. It has ample space to add supplementary notes for better understanding.
The creator has used two key branches to depict the process of cell division and interphase, illustrated by an orange and black box, respectively. These branches further extend into nodes consisting of two-word descriptions, providing you with necessary information about each stage. Therefore, students can use this visual representation of a cell cycle to understand how a cell is formed and divided into eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
Here are a few key takeaways from this concept map of the cell cycle.
1. Interphase
- The G2 phase depicts the cell’s preparation for mitosis.
- The S Phase represents the DNA synthesis.
- The G1 Phase represents cell growth.
2. Cell Division
From the diagram, we can assume that cell division occurs through two stages: cytokinesis and nuclear replication or mitosis.
- The cytokinesis represents the splitting of cytoplasm into two daughter cells as a result of cell division. It is shown cell division’s left branch in the diagram.
- The right sub-branch of cell division depicts the mitosis stage. During mitosis, the cell replicates all of its contents and forms the two identical daughter cells. As shown in the map, these cells are named diploid daughter cells and somatic cells.
- The creator has used extended branches at the bottom to illustrate the four phases of mitosis, namely prophase, telophase, metaphase, and anaphase.
Conclusion
Cell division is a complex biological concept consisting of numerous activities happening simultaneously. Understanding these events demands effort and time. Even then, you cannot guarantee the learning outcomes. What’s better is to switch to visual notes like mind and concept maps.
A cell division concept map offers a visual representation of how a cell divides and maintains the growth activity in a microorganism. It can help students grasp the concept quickly and effectively. Have you found these cell cycle and mitosis concept maps useful?
If yes, do not waste your time; visit EdrawMind’s mind map gallery. It features 6000+ templates, including cell cycle concept maps and cell division mind maps. Plus, you can add supplementary notes, reference links, and images in these examples. So, give it a shot, and it may shorten your study time.
EdrawMind
AppsEdrawMind Online
