1. Cleavage Furrow Formation:
- A contractile ring composed of actin and myosin filaments assembles at the cell equator, forming a cleavage furrow.
- The cleavage furrow gradually deepens, constricting the cell membrane inward.
2. Membrane Ingression and Furrowing:
- As the cleavage furrow deepens, the cell membrane invaginates, further separating the two halves of the cytoplasm.
3. Formation of Midbody:
- At the center of the cleavage furrow, a dense structure called the midbody forms.
- The midbody consists of remnants of the mitotic spindle and other cellular components.
4. Membrane Fusion and Closure:
- As the cleavage furrow deepens and reaches the opposite side of the cell, the two sides of the invaginated membrane come into close contact.
- The membranes fuse, sealing off the cytoplasm of the two daughter cells, resulting in the complete separation of the two cells.
5. Formation of Daughter Cells:
- Once the membrane fusion is complete, two distinct daughter cells are formed, each with its own set of organelles, DNA, and other cellular components.
In animal cells, cytokinesis occurs through the process of furrowing and membrane ingression, leading to the physical separation of the two daughter cells.
