What is the name of the process by which cells divide?

The process by which cells divide is called mitosis. This is a fundamental biological process where a single cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells, each containing the same genetic material as the original cell. Mitosis is essential for growth, development, and tissue repair in multicellular organisms.

During mitosis, the cell undergoes a series of stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, followed by cytokinesis, which is the actual division of the cytoplasm. This precise and regulated process ensures that cell division maintains genetic consistency, which is crucial for the proper functioning of various tissues and organs.

Other processes mentioned, such as meiosis, are specialized forms of cell division that result in gametes (sperm and eggs) with half the number of chromosomes, while binary fission is a simpler method of cell division seen in prokaryotic organisms, like bacteria. Interphase is not a division process; instead, it is the phase of the cell cycle where the cell prepares for division, undergoing growth and DNA replication prior to mitosis.