Humber Admissions Practice Test

What occurs during the interphase of cellular reproduction?

1. The cell divides into two daughter cells

2. The cell performs its normal functions and prepares for division

3. The cell experiences apoptosis

4. The DNA undergoes mutations

The correct answer is: The cell performs its normal functions and prepares for division

During interphase of cellular reproduction, the cell is primarily engaged in its normal metabolic activities and growth while also preparing for the process of division. This phase is critical because it encompasses several key activities: 1. **Cellular Growth**: The cell increases in size and synthesizes various proteins and organelles necessary for its function and for the subsequent division. 2. **DNA Replication**: Interphase includes the synthesis phase (S phase) where the cell's DNA is replicated, ensuring that each daughter cell will receive an identical set of genetic material. 3. **Preparation for Mitosis or Meiosis**: The cell accumulates the energy and raw materials needed for cell division, including additional proteins and organelles. This period is essential for the proper functioning and continuation of the cell lineage, which makes it a distinct phase separate from the actual division process that happens later in the cell cycle. The other options do not accurately describe interphase: the division of the cell into daughter cells occurs in the mitotic phase, apoptosis refers to programmed cell death unrelated to the division process, and while mutations can occur in DNA, they are not characteristic of the interphase process itself. Hence, the focus on normal cellular functions and preparation clearly defines what occurs