Mitosis and meiosis are the process through which plant and animal cells divide. Most cell division occurs through mitosis, which results in two identical daughter cells created from one parent cell. In meiosis, four genetically different new cells with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell are formed. Telophase is one of the stages of cell division. Cells undergoing both mitosis and meiosis go through telophase. During mitosis cell telophase only occurs once, in meiosis, two telophase stages occur.
Telophase is the sixth and last stage of the cell cycle. In this stage, a nuclear envelope forms around the chromosomes and the cytoplasm of a parent cell is divided into two new daughter cells in a process called cytokinesis. In animal cells, the plasma membrane of the cell pinches towards the cell center in a structure called a cleavage furrow. A contractile ring develops between the two about-to-divide cells in this process. Additionally, there is a structure called a mid-body that forms between the nuclei of each cell from stem bodies, pertinent in an earlier phase. Plant cells have walls, in addition to plasma membranes. In telophase, a cell plate forms where the new plant cells will divide. The cell plate, formed by both new daughter cells, begins to develop in the center of the cell and grow out to the cell walls, making up the new cell walls when it is complete.
