Cytokinesis is the process by which a single cell divides into two distinct cells. It is the final step of cell division and occurs after the chromosomes have been separated and segregated into the two daughter cells.

Cytokinesis occurs differently in plants and animals due to the presence or absence of a cell wall.

In animals, cytokinesis occurs by a process called cleavage. A cleavage furrow forms on the cell surface and pinches the cell in two, resulting in the formation of two separate cells. The cleavage furrow is formed by the contraction of a ring of actin filaments called the contractile ring.

In plants, cytokinesis occurs by a process called cell plate formation. A cell plate forms in the center of the cell and grows outward until it reaches the cell walls. The cell plate is made up of pectin and cellulose and eventually develops into a new cell wall.