What term is used to describe the process of cell division?

The process of cell division is referred to as mitosis. Mitosis is specifically the mechanism through which somatic (body) cells divide, resulting in two genetically identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the original cell. This process is essential for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction in multicellular organisms.

During mitosis, the cell undergoes several stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, which ensure that the genetic material is accurately replicated and distributed. The ability of cells to divide through mitosis is crucial for maintaining the proper function and structure of tissues in the body.

Other processes mentioned, while related to cellular processes, involve different contexts. Apoptosis is the programmed cell death that eliminates old or damaged cells, meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half to produce gametes (sperm and egg cells), and binary fission is a method of reproduction seen in prokaryotes, such as bacteria, where a single cell divides into two separate cells. Understanding these distinctions highlights why mitosis is the correct term for the general process of cell division in eukaryotic organisms.