What is Cell division?
'''Cell division''' is how a [[cell]], called the parent cell, divides into two cells, called daughter cells.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Maton| first1 = Anthea| last2 = Lahart| first2 = David| last3 = Hopkins| first3 = Jean| last4 = Warner| first4 = Maryanna Quon| last5 = Johnson| first5 = Susan| last6 = Wright| first6 = Jill D.| title = Cells: Building Blocks of Life| url = https://archive.org/details/cellsbuildingblo00mato| year = 1997| publisher = Pearson Prentice Hall| isbn = 978-0-13-423237-9 }}</ref> When the cell divides, everything inside it divides also. The [[Cell nucleus|nucleus]] and the [[chromosome]]s divide, and the [[mitochondria]] divide also. In [[mitosis]], an ordinary body (somatic) cell divides to make two daughter cells. In [[meiosis]], a cell divides twice, to produce four gametes (sex cells). The first division of meiosis is a special kind of cell division called a reduction division because the number of chromosomes is halved. The second division of meiosis is similar to mitosis.<ref>Morgan D.O. 2007. ''The cell cycle: principles of control''. London: New Science Press.</ref> [[File:Three cell growth types.svg|thumb|400px|center|Three types of cell division: left is binary fission as in [[bacteria]]; right are mitosis and meiosis as in [[eukaryote]]s.]] Cells are the 'building blocks' of life, and cell division is a basic feature of life. For simple [[unicellular organism]]s like [[Amoebozoa]], one cell division reproduces the entire organism. On a larger scale, cell division can create offspring from multicellular organisms, such as plants that grow from cuttings. But most importantly, cell division enables organisms that are able to [[sexual reproduction|sexually reproduce]] to develop from the one-celled fertilised egg ([[zygote]]). Cell division also allows for continual renewal and repair of the organism.<ref>Freeman S. 2011. ''Biological Science'', 6th ed. Hoboken, NY: Pearson. p210.</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} [[Category:Cell biology]] [[Category:Chromosomes]] {{biolog