Question

What generally occurs in the three steps of interphase? and does the cell cycle only occur in cells that perform mitosis, or does it occur in cells that perform mitosis and/or meiosis?

Answer 1

The first stage of interphase is the G1 phase, where the cell rapidly grows, and makes more proteins, in preparation for division. Cellular contents, other than the chromosomes are duplicated at this phase too.

The second stage is the S phase, in which each of the 46 chromosomes are duplicated. By the end of the S phase, the cell will have double the DNA content it initially had.

The final stage of interphase is the G2 phase, where the cell “proofreads” the duplicated DNA for any errors.

After these three stages, interphase is over, it will proceed to either mitosis or meiosis, depending on the cell. For normal body cells, they go through mitosis after interphase, and for gametes they undergo meiosis.