OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

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During which process do undifferentiated cells divide to become new cells?

Meiosis
Mitosis
Fission
Apoptosis

The correct answer is: Mitosis

The process in which undifferentiated cells divide to create new cells is mitosis. Mitosis is a form of cellular division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the original cell. This process is vital for growth, development, and tissue repair in multicellular organisms. During mitosis, a single cell undergoes a series of phases, including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, before ultimately splitting into two. This is particularly important in the context of stem cells, which are often undifferentiated and have the potential to develop into various cell types in the body. The other processes mentioned do not involve the division of undifferentiated cells in the same context. Meiosis, for example, is a specialized type of cell division that leads to the production of gametes (sperm and eggs), which have half the number of chromosomes. Fission is a type of asexual reproduction seen in some single-celled organisms, where the organism splits into two new organisms. Apoptosis refers to programmed cell death, which is a process that eliminates damaged or unnecessary cells, rather than generating new ones.