Amitotic is a word that describes a type of cell division that occurs without the formation of spindle fibers. It is pronounced /eɪ-maɪˈtɒtɪk/ using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription. The first syllable of the word is pronounced as "ay" which is the same sound as in the word "day". The second syllable is pronounced "my" which sounds like "myth". The third syllable is pronounced "tah" which rhymes with "la". And the final syllable is "tick" which sounds like "kick".
Amitotic is an adjective used to describe a process or cell division that does not involve mitosis. Derived from the prefix "a-" meaning without or absence, and "mitotic" relating to mitosis, which is the process through which cells replicate and divide in a controlled manner.
The term amitotic is primarily utilized within the field of biology and cell biology to characterize dividing or reproductive mechanisms that deviate from the typical mitotic process. In amitotic cell division, there is no formation of a spindle apparatus, which is responsible for the orderly separation and distribution of chromosomes. Instead, the parent cell directly divides into two identical daughter cells without undergoing significant structural changes.
Amitotic division contrasts with mitotic division in various aspects. While mitosis is a complex process that consists of multiple distinct phases, amitosis lacks these phases and involves a more direct mode of cell division. It typically occurs in single-celled organisms, such as bacteria or yeast, where the replication and division of cells are relatively simple.
The term amitotic can also refer to other biological processes that do not involve mitosis, such as the replication of certain organelles within a cell. In these cases, amitotic replication refers to the direct replication of organelles without undergoing mitosis-like processes.
Overall, the term amitotic serves as a descriptive tool to denote cell division or replication pathways that deviate from the canonical mitotic process, emphasizing direct and simpler mechanisms of reproduction.
Relating to or marked by amitosis.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "amitotic" is composed of two parts: "a-" and "mitotic".
"Mitotic" is derived from the word "mitosis", which refers to the process of cell division in eukaryotic organisms, resulting in the formation of two genetically identical daughter cells.
The prefix "a-" in "amitotic" is taken from the Greek "a-" meaning "without" or "not". Therefore, "amitotic" means "without mitosis" or "not involving mitosis".
In summary, the etymology of "amitotic" is rooted in Greek and Latin origins, combining the prefix "a-" with "mitotic" to describe a process that does not involve cell division through mitosis.