Amitosis OR Direct Cell Division | Definition & Examples

It is the method of asexual reproduction, which occurs in acellular organisms like bacteria, protozoans, diseased cells, old cells, mammalian cartilage cells and in foetal membranes. It was first discovered by a Remak. It is also called direct cell division.

During amitosis, the nucleus of the cell elongates. Then, a constriction appears in the nucleus which gradually deepens and divides the nucleus into two daughter nuclei. Finally, a constriction appears in the cytoplasm which divides the cytoplasm and the nuclei into two daughter cells, each with a nucleus. In this division, no spindle formation and no distinct chromosome formation occurs. Nuclear envelope remains intact. The daughter cells are approximately the two equal halves of a parental cell.