Ask A Scientist© Zoology Archive

name         Jim
status       student
age          19

Question -   I am a student at the Illinois Institute of Art at
Chicago and am taking a Human Biology course.  The reason for the e-mail
is to ask a question or get a comment on the process of Mitosis.
I am doing a creative project for the course on Mitosis where I will act
as head designer for a CD-ROM on Mitosis that a made-up company has
produced.  In order for me to continue the work
on the project I was just curious as to what could be related art-wise in
forming a package design for a CD-ROM on Mitosis?  Being a scientist, I
would really appreciate your knowledgable
response of where to begin or what I should first look at?  One other
question I had was which are the most important stages in the process of
Mitosis, in other words, what are the key steps
or most interesting parts to the Mitosis process?  I would like to use
the information you may provide in the creation of my final creative 
project.


Jim,

The principle steps of mitosis and cell cytoplasm division is well
documented.  Prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.  However, you may
wish to include the fact that mitosis is one of several steps of the cell
cycle.  You  may be presented with the term "interphase or resting stage"
and this stage is not really mitosis but the growth of the cell and
synthesis of DNA after and before mitosis.  The actually division of the
cell is cytokinesis and is really not part of the mitotic activity.

If you are trying to develop a feel for mitosis for drawing purposes, I
would request an expert from the publisher.  Or find a biology textbook or
search the Internet for diagrams and pictures of the process.


Steve Sample
York Community High School
Elmhurst, Illinois
ssample@elmhurst.k12.il.us
=========================================================
For the basic steps, find a general biology textbook.  Mitosis is an
incredibly important process, and I'm sure you'll find pictures and a much
more complete description than I can give you here.  Be sure to notice the
distinctions between mitosis and meiosis.

Mitosis is the process of cell division.  That process is tightly
controlled during development and growth to set up a body plan, and later
to replace cells at appropriate rates as they get old.  Cell division is
turned on and off at appropriate times by molecular switches.  If those
switches get messed up, cell division is uncontrolled and can result in
cell death or in tumors.

For artwork suggestions, that would depend on the content of the CD.
You're a bit limited if it's simply an animated description of the process.
But if it talks about tumor formation and theories behind cancer
treatments, you'd have lots of options.
---------
Christine Ticknor
Ph.D. Student
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
=========================================================