Question

The cell organelle responsible for initiating cell division

Answer 1

Cell increases in number by cell division. The parent cell divides and passes on genetic material to the daughter cells. This genetic material DNA is found inside the nucleus. The most important part of cell division concerns events inside the nucleus.

Complete answer:
Centrioles are mostly present in animal cells and flagellated organisms and structures like spore, gametes etc. but are absent in the plants. These are submicroscopic, micro-tubular, subcylindrical structures, which usually occur in the form of two granules. They are also known as the diplosomes and are present inside a specialized cytoplasm called the centrosphere or kinoplasm.

The cell organelle that is responsible for initiating cell division is centriole. With the production of spindle fibres that are an important part of cell division, they are involved in cell division. It is also involved in cytokinesis, where the cytoplasm divides to form two daughter cells.

The centriole is a cylindrical structure that is mainly made up of a protein called tubulin. The formation of the centrosome is formed when a pair of centrioles is surrounded by the dense mass of material called pericentriolar material. Its main function includes the formation of cilia during interphase and the formation of spindle fibre for cell division.

Therefore the correct answer is centriole.

Note:
- The centrioles are responsible for the formation of basal bodies, cilia and flagella. They also play an important role in cell division by forming astral spindle poles.
- The complex formed of centriole and centrosphere was termed centrosome by Theodor Boveri in 1888.