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The mitotic cell cycle is as follows:
Gap 1
Synthesis
Gap 2
Mitosis
Cytokinesis

Mitosis is the process by which the original cell (parent cell) divides to create an exact copy of the original cell (daughter cell). The mitotic cell cycle is composed of 5 stages that allow the cell to produce a "clone" of the original cell. The cell cycle proceeds as follows: Gap 1, Synthesis, Gap 2, Mitosis, and Cytokinesis. The first grouping of stages known as interphase, contains the first 3 of the 5 cell cycle stages.

The first stage in Interphase is the Gap 1, or "G1" phase, which is the main growth phase of the cell and also prepares for DNA synthesis. It is known as the Gap 1 phase because it is the "gap" or period of time between Cytokinesis and synthesis of DNA. One of the 3 checkpoints in the mitotic cell cycle is reached in the G1 phase. This first checkpoint is the G1/S checkpoint and is the main checkpoint where the cell determines, irreversibly, whether or not it is going to divide. Certain reasons can stop the cell from going into synthesis at this point such as damage to DNA, lack of growth factor such as Cdc2, or external conditions that deprive the cell of the necessary components for replication. The Gap 1 phase comprises the majority of the cell cycle and is followed by Synthesis.

The second stage of the Interphase is the Synthesis phase or "S" phase because it is the portion of the cell cycle where DNA is synthesized into replicas of the chromosomes. The Synthesis phase leads into the Gap 2 phase.

The third phase of Interphase is the Gap 2, or "G2" phase. Gap 2 phase is the second growth phase in which organelles replicate in preparation for Mitosis. Also, in Gap 2, chromosomes get ready to condense and microtubules begin to assemble at the centrioles. At the end of G2 the cell reaches another checkpoint called the G2/M checkpoint. At this checkpoint the cell "checks" for Mitosis-promoting factor or MPF and determines whether to enter into Mitosis or not. The Gap 2 phase is followed by the actual beginning of cell division, or the Mitosis phase.

Mitosis is the phase in which the cell goes through steps to divide the sister chromosomes and then prepare to enter Cytokinesis. Mitosis itself is comprised of 5 steps that accomplish the division of the chromosomes. The first phase of Mitosis is Prophase, in Prophase chromosomes condense and form sister chromatids and the nuclear envelope is broken down. In the second phase, Prometaphase, the microtubules attach to the

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