Growth and Cell Division (Leaving Cert Biology): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
Growth and Cell Division
infoNote
Cell continuity is the ability of cells to divide and survive from one generation to the next.
- Cell division is the process by which cells reproduce, allowing organisms to grow, repair damaged tissues, and produce new cells.
- When cells divide, the parent cell must pass on coded instructions (DNA) and enough cell components to the new cells so they can function on their own.
lightbulbExample
Examples of cell components include the nucleus and mitochondria.
Types of Cell Division
- Mitosis:
- Produces two identical cells for growth and repair.
- Occurs in all body (somatic) cells.
- Meiosis:
- Produces gametes (sperm and egg cells) with half the number of chromosomes.
- Essential for sexual reproduction.
infoNote
Mitosis and meiosis will be explained in more detail in the upcoming notes!
