What Happens to Telomeres During Cell Division?
Cell division is cell replication. Meiosis is the cell division associated with gamete formation and mitosis is the cell division that replaces old and dying cells. Somatic cells have a lifespan, a finite number of cell divisions; some estimates say between 60 and 100. Before a cell divides the DNA unzips and the genetic information is copied. However, not every nucleotide is replicated, and when the DNA strands are put back together telomere length has shortened. It shortens after every cell division.
