Question

How many mitotic divisions are required to produce $256$ daughters/somatic cells?
a) $128$
b) $64$
c) $32$
d) $8$

Answer 1

As we know mitosis is a step in the cell cycle where the newly formed DNA is separated and two new cells are formed with the same number and also the same kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus. It is a mode of asexual reproduction which is seen in unicellular organisms.

Complete solution:
In mitotic division, two daughter cells are formed from the parent cell. The cell is also called an equational cell division because the chromosome number in the parent cell and daughter cell is the same.
Since we know that one parent cell divides to form two daughter cells which then produces four daughter cells which then produces eight, sixteen, thirty two, sixty four, one twenty eight which then produces two fifty six daughter/somatic cells.
So we can conclude that eight mitotic divisions are required to produce $256$ daughters/somatic cells.

So we can say that the correct answer is option D.

Note:
Segregation and combination do not occur in this mitotic process. Mitosis is responsible for the development of the zygote to form an adult. Mitosis helps in the development of an organism. In unicellular/single-celled organisms, mitosis is the process of asexual reproduction. Mitosis helps in the replacement of the damaged tissues. The cells near the damaged cells begin mitosis when they do not sense the neighbouring cells. The dividing cells reach each other and they cover the damaged cells.