Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Actin Filaments
Actin filaments are dynamic structures that play a crucial role in various cellular processes, including maintaining cell shape, enabling motility, and facilitating cell division. They are part of the cytoskeleton and are essential for the formation of the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis, where the cell physically divides into two daughter cells.
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Cytokinesis
Cytokinesis is the process that follows mitosis, where the cytoplasm of a parental cell is divided into two daughter cells. This process is characterized by the formation of a cleavage furrow, which is driven by the contraction of actin filaments. Disruption of actin function, such as by cytochalasin B, can severely impair this process.
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Cell Cycle Phases
The cell cycle consists of several phases, including interphase (G1, S, G2) and mitotic phase (M), which encompasses mitosis and cytokinesis. Each phase is tightly regulated to ensure proper cell division and function. Understanding these phases is essential to identify how disruptions, like those caused by cytochalasin B, affect specific processes such as cytokinesis.
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Introduction to the Cell Cycle