Jutta Ellermann is a MSK fellowship trained Board Certified Radiologist with 10 years of clinical practice at the University of Minnesota with a special focus on MSK imaging research. Her areas of research interest include:
â in cells capable of dividing, the period between cell divisions is called interphase â cells spend most of their time in interphase because this is the phase where they perform their functions (obtaining energy, synthesizing products, repair damage, fight disease, duplicate their genetic material and get ready for division)
Now weâre going to do an experiment to determine how much time cells spend in each phase of cell division. Letâs count the number of cells in some onion root tips during each phase, and use this information to answer the question. On this slide, there are 21 cells in interphase, 4 in prophase, 2 in metaphase, and 1 in telophase. Why are most of the cells in interphase? Recall that interphase makes up the majority of the cell cycle. Letâs look at another slide. In this slide, there are 16 cells in interphase, 1 in prophase, and 1 in anaphase. Go ahead and try characterizing the cells yourself. Good job! Good going! Youâve got it! Nicely done! Thatâs right! Sorry, thatâs not correct. This cell is in interphase.