A Level Biology Practice Exam

The defining characteristic of the mitotic phase in the cell cycle is that it consists of stages of mitosis and cytokinesis. During this phase, the cell undergoes a series of highly organized steps to ensure the accurate division of its chromosomes followed by the division of the cytoplasm. Mitosis itself can be further divided into several stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, each of which plays a crucial role in ensuring that the genetic material is equally distributed to the two daughter cells. Cytokinesis typically occurs at the end of mitosis, completing the overall process of cell division.

This characteristic is essential because it highlights the functional aspect of the mitotic phase, which is the actual division of the cell, contrasting with other phases of the cell cycle that focus on growth or DNA replication. Understanding this helps to clarify the importance of mitosis and cytokinesis in maintaining the integrity of the organism's genetic information across generations of cells.