How Long Does it Take for Cells to Divide?
Cell division is a fascinating biological process, and is the building block for complex life. The amount of time it takes for cell division to completely take place ranges widely, depending on the species involved: some bacteria, for example, can complete cell division in 20 minutes, while mammals such as humans may take 12-24 hours. This is a reflection of the complexity of the cells, but also the purpose of the cell division: bacteria need to divide rapidly to reproduce and grow, while adult humans are not in a growth stage, and therefore do not need to produce as many new cells. There are two primary types of cell division. The type of cell division most people have in mind when they think of cells dividing is mitosis, a process in which a single parent cell divides itself into two identical daughter cells. This is accomplished by doubling the chromosomes within the parent cell and then physically splitting the cell in two. The other type of cell division is called meiosis, and it
