Here's a breakdown of the process:
1. Cleavage Furrow Formation: At the end of mitosis, the cell begins to constrict around its middle, forming a shallow groove known as the cleavage furrow.
2. Microfilament Contraction: This furrow is made of a ring of microfilaments, primarily composed of the protein actin. These microfilaments interact with the motor protein myosin, causing the ring to contract.
3. Cell Membrane Invagination: The contraction of the microfilament ring pulls the cell membrane inwards, deepening the furrow.
4. Complete Separation: As the furrow continues to constrict, it pinches the cell into two distinct daughter cells. Each daughter cell receives a complete set of chromosomes and roughly half of the cytoplasm and organelles from the parent cell.
Important Note: Cytokinesis is a distinct process from mitosis, even though they often occur together. Mitosis is the division of the nucleus and its contents, while cytokinesis is the division of the cytoplasm.
