Multiple Choice
During mitosis, how many daughter cells are formed from a single parent cell?
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16. Cell Division
Mitosis
Multiple Choice
In a typical human somatic cell, how many chromosomes are present at the beginning of mitosis (prophase), before sister chromatids separate?
A
92 chromosomes
B
23 chromosomes
C
46 chromosomes
D
46 pairs of chromosomes (92 total chromosomes)
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that a typical human somatic cell is diploid, meaning it contains two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent. The total number of chromosomes in such a cell is 46.
Understand that before mitosis begins, during the S phase of interphase, each chromosome is replicated, resulting in two sister chromatids joined at the centromere. However, these sister chromatids are still considered one chromosome because they are connected.
At the beginning of mitosis (prophase), the cell has 46 chromosomes, each consisting of two sister chromatids. The number of chromosomes does not double; it remains 46 because chromatids are counted as parts of the same chromosome until they separate.
Recognize that the number 92 refers to the total number of chromatids, not chromosomes. Since each chromosome has two chromatids after replication, 46 chromosomes × 2 chromatids = 92 chromatids.
Therefore, the correct way to express the chromosome number at prophase is 46 chromosomes (each with two sister chromatids), not 92 chromosomes or 23 chromosomes.
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