cell division? The answer: binary fission!
What is binary fission?
Bacterial binary fission is the process that bacteria use to carry out cell division. Binary fission is similar in concept to the mitosis that happens in eukaryotic organisms (such as plants and animals), but its purpose is different.
When cells divide by mitosis in the body of a multicellular organism, they cause the organism to grow larger or replace old, worn-out cells with new ones. In the case of a bacterium, however, cell division isn't just a means of making more cells for the body. Instead, it's actually how bacteria reproduce, or add more bacteria to the population.
Binary fission has features in common with mitosis, but also differs from mitosis in some important ways.
What is binary fission?
Bacterial binary fission is the process that bacteria use to carry out cell division. Binary fission is similar in concept to the mitosis that happens in eukaryotic organisms (such as plants and animals), but its purpose is different.
When cells divide by mitosis in the body of a multicellular organism, they cause the organism to grow larger or replace old, worn-out cells with new ones. In the case of a bacterium, however, cell division isn't just a means of making more cells for the body. Instead, it's actually how bacteria reproduce, or add more bacteria to the population.
Binary fission has features in common with mitosis, but also differs from mitosis in some important ways.
