Duration of mitosis

Mitosis lasts on average about one hour, so that one can speak of rapid cell division. Compared to interphase, mitosis takes relatively little time. In addition, the interphase can last from several hours to several months or even years, depending on the cell type.

The G1 – and the G0-phase in the interphase are particularly responsible for this. In the G1 phase various proteins and cell organelles are produced and in the G0 phase the cell goes into a kind of dormant mode. Many cells remain in the G0 phase for years to decades.

What is the mitosis rate?

The mitosis rate is used to describe the rate of cell division. This allows conclusions to be drawn about the rate of proliferation of certain tissues. The mitosis rate is determined using a microscope.

For a certain number of cells, for example 1,000 cells, it is determined how many of them are in a mitosis stage. The mitosis rate is given as a percentage and is therefore a relative value. Tissue that renews itself particularly often consequently has a high mitosis rate.

These include the bone marrow, the skin (epidermis) and the mucous membrane of the small intestine. The bone marrow is responsible for blood formation and continuously produces new blood cells. The skin and the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract are also regularly renewed, so that a high rate of mitosis is also found here.

However, high mitosis rates can also be an indication of malignant tumors that grow rapidly. These degenerated cells evade the control points in interphase and mitosis and can grow unhindered. The increased mitosis rate can also be used as a therapeutic approach, since fast-growing tumors are particularly sensitive to mitosis inhibitors and can be treated with a higher chance of recovery.

What are mitosis inhibitors?

Mitosis inhibitors are substances that inhibit the process of mitosis. Mitosis inhibitors thus prevent the nuclear division process and thus stop cell proliferation. These toxins are used as cytostatic agents in the treatment of tumors.

Lymphomas and leukemias in particular respond well to this form of chemotherapy. The mechanism of mitosis inhibitors consists of binding to tubulin, which is needed to build up the spindle apparatus. The tubulin is the protein from which the microtubules of the spindle apparatus are composed. If this protein is not available due to the binding of a mitosis inhibitor, no spindle apparatus can be built up and no cell nuclear division occurs. However, mitosis inhibitors such as vinca alkaloids or taxanes can have dangerous side effects, which can damage the nervous system in particular.