Plant Cell Mitosis
Cytokinesis in the Plant Cell
The process of mitosis in the plant cell is almost identical to that of an animal cell. The primary difference between the two processes lies within the cytokinesis phase. In this phase the cell splits in two. In animal cells, the cytoplasm furrows inward creating a cleavage furrow. In the case of a plant cell, a cell plate forms to divide the two daughter cells, each with its nucleus, chromosomes, organelles etc. During telophase in plant cells, vesicles derived from the Golgi apparatus move along microtubules to the middle of the cell, where they coalesce, producing a cell plate (labeled above). Cell wall materials carried in the vesicles collect in the cell plate as it grows. The cell plate enlarges until its surrounding membrane fuses with the plasma membrane along the perimeter of the cell. Two daughter cells result, each with its own plasma membrane. Meanwhile, a new cell wall arising from the contents of the cell plate has formed between the daughter cells. The resulting cells are identical in DNA content and number of chromosomes.