Question

part iv - short answer

1. why is mitosis important for growth and repair in multicellular organisms?
2. how are the daughter cells produced in mitosis genetically similar to the parent cell?
3. explain how errors in mitosis might lead to cancer.

Explanation:

1. Mitosis is crucial for growth and repair as it produces new cells identical to parent cells, allowing organisms to grow and replace damaged cells.
2. In mitosis, DNA replication occurs first, then the replicated chromosomes are separated equally into two daughter - cells, ensuring genetic similarity to the parent cell.
3. Errors in mitosis, such as incorrect chromosome segregation or uncontrolled cell division, can lead to abnormal cell growth, which may progress to cancer.

Answer:

1. Mitosis is important for growth and repair in multicellular organisms because it produces new cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell. These new cells can be used to increase the size of an organism during growth or replace damaged cells during repair.
2. Daughter cells produced in mitosis are genetically similar to the parent cell because DNA replication occurs before cell division. The replicated chromosomes are then separated equally into the two daughter - cells during mitosis, ensuring each daughter cell receives a complete and identical set of genetic material.
3. Errors in mitosis might lead to cancer. For example, if there are mistakes in chromosome segregation, cells may have an abnormal number of chromosomes (aneuploidy). Also, if the control mechanisms that regulate the cell cycle are disrupted during mitosis, cells may divide uncontrollably, forming tumors that can be cancerous.