This Breakup Story Will Give You LIFE

Most breakups leave you feeling sad. Turns out cell division is the kind of breakup you want (and need)!

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Here's what cell division looks like (no it does not actually involve donuts...)

...but this is what it looks like in donut form!

*Disclaimer: No donuts were harmed in the making of this article.

So why do donuts...I mean, cells... have to divide?

Did you know that you lose 9 lbs of skin cells every year?? These cells are replaced on a daily basis by cell division.

Believe it or not, the steps of cell division are similar to the phases you go through during a breakup!

Interphase: This could be the start of something new...

The majority of the time, cells are in interphase and not yet dividing. The cell’s internal contents (all the genetic materials) are duplicated. There are checks and balances during the duplication process to ensure that any mistakes are fixed. The cell is preparing itself to divide and make two cells.

Prophase: I Hate U, I Love U... (You and your S.O. are finally coming together with your own personalities)

All these things come together and condense into an x-shaped CHROMOSOME (animated above).

Prometaphase: You just don't do it for me anymore... (It’s happening, the start of the breakup. Things are starting to breakdown and you two are becoming more and more distant.)

A protective bubble, also known as a nuclear envelope, houses precious genetic material that is duplicated. This envelope is broken down and allows duplicated material to separate.

Metaphase: Stuck in the middle with you... (Trying to compromise and meet in the middle)

The X-shaped chromosomes meet in the middle of the cell and condense more, getting more and more squished!

Anaphase: Let it go...LET IT GO! (It's time to separate, you've gotta go your own way, and move on)

It’s short and simple… Connected chromosomes separate and are pulled to opposite ends of the cell.

Telophase: Bye, Bye, Bye (With more and more time apart, you start to feel ready to do it all over again.)

The previous steps of mitosis are essentially reversed so the process can repeated in the future. For example, the nuclear envelope forms around the chromosomes again. These chromosomes spread out in their protective envelope.

Cytokinesis: We are NEVER ever getting back together (It's official. You are never getting back together...like EVER.)

The middle of the cell pinches itself so two distinct cells can be formed and mitosis can finally be concluded.

You've Got a Friend in Me. Stop your worrying because cell division IS regulated: Friends will always be there to check up on you during your relationship and make sure things are going the way they should.

Cell division is regulated at various points (checkpoints) which either halts if there are problems or continues if everything is okay. g.

Before He Cheats... (Mutations: Sometimes relationships go wrong. We miss signs and we make mistakes.)

Mutations, or unexpected changes, can occur at different points in cell division due to DNA errors and missed checkpoints. Unfortunately, this is what causes cancer-mutations lead to uncontrolled cell growth (i.e., tumors) Scientists everywhere are working hard to discover new cures!

If you still have questions on the cell cycle, watch the Crash Course video linked here!