I would like to introduce you all to the Mitosis Hand Jive, it was a thing born out of high school biology class and has served me well in the years since. I cannot claim credit for the Mitosis Hand Jive, credit goes to my good friend who shall be known only as…Tay Tay.
What is the Mitosis Hand Jive, you ask? First off, it is a hand jive. Second, it involves mitosis, or cell division in eukaryotes (non-bacteria, basically). Seriously though, it’s a mnemonic I’ve used to help remember the basic steps of mitosis. So, be you in a park, office, coffee house or armadillo farm, I invite you to follow along. Imagine some chipper, appropriately tempo-ed music playing.
Prophase: Within the nucleus, DNA condenses from loose chromatin (less organized DNA) into compact, finger-like chromosomes. Prior to mitosis, the DNA replicated so the chromosome number is double and the new copies are paired with the originals. Meanwhile, the nuclear envelope dissolves and two structures called centrosomes are getting into position…
Metaphase: Once the nuclear envelope has dissolved, the centrosomes can grab the paired chromosomes by the centromere (point where the pair is bonded) and drag them to the middle of the cell.
Anaphase: With a mighty yank, the centrosomes pull the paired chromosomes apart and to opposite ends of the cell. Because the spindles attached at the centromere, no bits are left behind (though mistakes can happen, no one’s perfect, after all).
Telophase: Although the cell has not divided yet, two nuclear envelopes are forming around the separated chromosomes.
Cytokinesis: Separate nuclei now fully formed (with the correct number of chromosomes), a cleavage furrow (that is what it’s called, visualize it how you will) develops as the two cells pinch off and separate.
Bam! Now you know the Mitosis Hand Jive. It helps the most in understanding what the chromosomes are doing since your fingers directly represent those. But once you get that down, the rest comes along easier. Also, if you do it twice, you have the Meiosis Hand Jive. Only problem is that for meiosis (cell division of sex cells, like the precursors to sperm and eggs), the chromosome number starts out as doubled (2N) and ends halved (.5N) from normal cells. Kind of hard to incorporate that into a hand jive without also incorporating knives and impromptu surgery.
Don’t cut your hands for studying, it’s not worth it and you need those to take tests.
Source
-. 2010. GRE Subject Test: Biology 5th Ed. Kaplan, New York.
Mom for the photography and myself for the modeling.
Tay Tay.
Daily Science (blog) 