Mitosis - 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

Cellular Division

In this course, Dr Matt Ivory (Cardiff University) introduces cell division, covering topics 2.1-2.6, 2.8 and 2.9 in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology (9-1) Specification for Higher/Foundation Tier. We begin by: (i) describing mitosis and its stages including interphase, prophase, anaphase, telophase and cytokinesis (Topic 2.1-2.3); and (ii) the prevalence of cancer when cell division is uncontrolled (Topic 2.4); before (iii) the use of cellular division as a means of allowing cell differentiation and specialisation in animals and plants (Topic 2.5, 2.6, 2.8); before finally discussing the risks, benefits and controversies of using stem cells in medicine (Topic 2.8, 2.9).

Mitosis - 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

In the first mini-lecture, we discuss mitosis, as brought up in topics 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 of the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology specification. We describe mitosis as part of the cell cycle, including the stages interphase, prophase, anaphase, telophase and cytokinesis, and the importance of mitosis in growth, repair and asexual reproduction. Cellular division by mitosis is then described as the production of two daughter cells, each with identical sets of chromosomes in the nucleus to the parent cell, and that this results in the formation of two genetically identical diploid body cells.