Mitosis – Pipe Cleaner Activity - BIOLOGY 2018-2019



Mitosis – Pipe Cleaner Activity

Introduction – Multicellular organisms, like you, begin as a single cell. In this activity, you explore how a cell reproduces (divides) to form two new cells. In this activity, you model each stage of mitosis using pipe cleaners to represent chromosomes. Your somatic cells (body cells) have 46 chromosomes. For this simulation, you will use 4 chromosomes for simplicity.

Materials:

Colored pencils (same colors as pipe cleaners if possible).

3 pieces of yarn – (One 3 feet long and two 1 foot long) (Cell membrane and Nuclear membrane)

8 pipe cleaners (2 long of color “A”, 2 long of color “B”, 2 short of color “A”, 2 short of color “B”) (Chromatids)

4 puff balls (Centrioles)

8 tooth picks (Spindle Fibers)

Procedure:

Part 1: Interphase – G1 Stage

• Take the longer yarn and create a circle. This is your cell membrane.

• Take one smaller piece of yarn to create a nucleus.

• Place 4 different pipe cleaners in the center circle. (These are chromatin)

• Draw a picture of this cell on the worksheet

• Label the nuclear membrane and the chromatin

Part 2: Interphase – S stage

• During the S stage of interphase, a cell replicates it’s DNA

o Group 2 pipe cleaners of the same color and length next to each other. (DNA Replication)

o Twist the chromatin together to form an X

o Each “X” represents a duplicated chromosome.

o The center of each chromosome is a centromere

Part 3: Prophase

• During prophase

o The nucleus disintegrates – remove the smaller piece of yarn

o The chromosomes condense – tightly coil the pipe cleaners to represent a condensed and visible chromosome

o The spindle fibers begin to form from the centriole – add the toothpicks and puff balls

• Draw a picture of this cell on the worksheet

• Label the spindle fibers and centrioles on your picture

Part 4: Metaphase

• During Metaphase

o The chromosomes line up on the equator of the cell – move the pipe cleaners to the middle of the circle

o The spindle fibers attach to the centromere of each chromosome – place the toothpicks (one on each side) on the center of each X pipe cleaner

• Draw a picture of this cell on the worksheet

• Label the centromere and the equator on this picture

Part 5: Anaphase

• During Anaphase

o The chromosomes are split in half creating chromatids – untwist each X creating a V shape

o The spindle fibers shorten – Move one single chromatid (V shape) and its spindle fiber (toothpick) to the left side of the cell and one to the right side

• Draw a picture of this cell on the worksheet

• Label the spindle fibers on this picture.

Part 6: Telophase

• During telophase

o The Cytoplasm begins to divide – pinch the cell membrane together creating a cleavage furrow

o The nuclei start to reform – use the two short pieces of yarn to create two new nuclei

o Chromatids unwind into chromatin – unwind the pipe cleaners so they are straight again

• BE SURE EACH CELL IS IDENTICAL - you should have 4 different pipe cleaners in a nucleus

• Draw a picture of this cell on the worksheet.

• Label the cleavage furrow and nuclear membranes

Part 7: Cytokinesis

• During cytokinesis

o Two identical daughter cells are formed

o The cytoplasm is completely divided

o Spindle fiber and centriole dissolve – remove the tooth picks and puff balls

• Draw a picture of this cell on the worksheet

Answer all the questions on the back of the worksheet using complete sentences.

Name: _______________________ Date: ____________ Period: _____

Please answer using complete sentences

Review Questions:

1. Compare the chromosome number of the parent cell with that of each daughter cell.

2. Compare the genetic information of the parent cell with that of each of the two daughter cells.

3. The following cell divides to form 2 daughter cells. Draw what a daughter cell would look like when it is in metaphase of mitosis.

4. You have 46 chromosomes in each of your somatic cells. If you cut your arm, how many chromosomes would be in each newly formed skin cell?

5. Why must you do mitosis?

6. Name three scenarios where mitosis is happening frequently (think of situations where a lot of new cells are needed).

a.

b.

c.

7. What stage do cells most likely spend their time: interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, or telophase?

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Anaphase – Label the spindle fibers

Telophase – Label the cleavage furrow and the nuclear membranes

Cytokinesis – Draw two identical cells

[pic]

[pic]

Interphase – Label the nuclear membrane and the chromatin

Prophase – Label the spindle fibers and centrioles

Metaphase – Label the centromere and the equator

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