The cell cycle

• Cells generally don’t undergo continuous mitosis, but undergo a regular cycle of division separated by periods of cell growth. This is known as the cell cycle and has three main stages : interphase, nuclear division and division of the cytoplasm (cytokinesis).
• Interphase occupies most of the cell cycle, and is often known as the resting phase because no division takes place.
• Nuclear division occurs when the nucleus divides into two (mitosis) or four (meiosis).
• Division of the cytoplasm (cytokinesis) follows nuclear division and is the process by which the cytoplasm divides to produce two new cells (mitosis) or four new cells (meiosis).