If your observations had not been restricted to the area of the root tip that is actively dividing, how would your results have been different?Cells are in interphase 90% of the time, and, since most of the creation of plant cells occurs in the root tips, you would witness mostly interphase. 2.Based on the data in Table 3.1, what can you infer about the relative length of time an onion root tip cell spends in each stage of cell division?Most of a cells life cycle is spent in interphase. Metaphase is the longest stage of mitosis, and anaphase is the shortest.1.List three major differences between the events of mitosis and meiosis.Meiosis has four nuclear divisions, whereas, mitosis only has one; meiosis creates four haploid cells, whereas mitosis creates two diploid cells; and meiosis is the only one taking part in crossing over.2.Compare mitosis and meiosis with respect to each of the following in Table 3.2:Table 3.2Mitosis MeiosisChromosome Number of Parent Cells2n2nNumber of DNA Replications11Number of Divisions12Number of Daughter Cells Produced24Chromosome Number of Daughter CellsDiploid (2n)Haploid (n)Purpose/FunctionRepair and GrowthGamete and Spore Image of page 2
The majority of the time, the cells are present in the interphase stage. The cells, which were proliferating were growing. The majority of the other cells, that is, apart from the cells at the root tips remain in the interphase stage. Thus, if one had been observing at different parts, they probably would have all been in interphase.
Interphase signifies the stages of the cell apart from mitosis. At the time of interphase, all the cellular organelles get double in number, the synthesis of proteins takes place and the DNA duplicates. The chromosomes are not visible and the DNA seems to be present in the form of uncoiled chromatin.
