Meaning & use

cytokinesis

noun·Advanced

The process in which the cytoplasm of a single cell divides to form two separate daughter cells.

See it in a sentence

Cytokinesis follows the division of the nucleus, splitting the cell into two.

In plant cells, a new cell wall forms during cytokinesis to separate the daughter cells.

A note on using this word

Cytokinesis is distinct from mitosis, which refers specifically to nuclear division rather than the splitting of the whole cell.

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