Mitosis and the mitotic cell cycle

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Mitosis and the mitotic cell cycle
Abstract
This essay is a lab report of the mitosis and the mitotic cell cycle experiment. The experiment was aimed at determining the mitosis phase with the most number of cells as well as the quickest and fastest phases of mitotic cell division. The experiment was based on the hypothesis that interphase would consist of the most number of cells as much of the time taken during mitosis is at this phase. To achieve this, the experiment involved specimen from two actively dividing parts, that is, an onion root tip and a whitefish blastula. Each specimen was observed under a microscope, pictures taken and resulted tabulated for analysis. From the results, it could be concluded that the hypothesis was true as interphase constituted the largest amount of cells and was the longest phase of mitosis.
Introduction
Growth and reproduction are one of the most basic and essential properties of living things as it is the manner in which they reproduce. Eukaryotes reproduce via mitosis, a process involving four phases of cell division. Mitosis and the mitotic cell division, the subject of our previous laboratory experiment. The main objective of this experiment was to determine the rate of growth of cells in the four phases of mitosis, determine the phase with the majority number of cells at a particular time, as well as the quickest phase of mitosis. The experiment consisted of two slides, an onion root cell and an animal cell, each of which was observed by a microscope.

The number of cells and the average time of each phase was recorded. The tabulated results were analyzed so as to infer regarding the main objective of the experiment.
Hypothesis
If the total number of cells in each phase of the mitotic cell division were to be calculated, it would be expected that interphase consists of most cells because cells spend much time here. The results are therefore expected to show most cells are found at the interphase stage whereby the majority of the mitosis time is spent.
Methods
This experiment required various materials that include a microscope, two microscope slides – one containing onion root tip and the other containing the animal cells specimen. A camera was also required. The experiment was done by setting up a microscope, inserting the slide containing onion root tip and focusing and observing the magnified cells. Pictures of the magnified cells were taken. The same process was repeated for the animal cells slide. Results were tabulated for analysis.
Results
From the experiment, it was observed that the root tip constitutes of more than half as compared to the whitefish blastula. More fields of root tip were observed as compared to the whitefish blastula. More cells were observed in this phase. Amongst the four mitotic phases, interphase was more common. Additionally, the division scale found in blastula was relatively smaller than that of root tips, while the root tips also manifested possession of more growth cells as compared to the whitefish blastula.
Discussion
According to the results of the experiment, it can be concluded that cells spend almost three-quarters of their division duration in interphase. The second much time is spent in prophase which accounts for approximately 15% of a cell’s division cycle. Roughly 10% of the time is spent in anaphase, where the minimal time (approximately 3%) is spent in metaphase. Telophase accounts for approximately 5% of a cell’s division period. Much time in this phase is attributed to the several activities involved that include copying of DNA material, metabolism, and preparation for later division.