With the exception of gametes, all new somatic cells in all multicellular organisms are formed through the process of mitosis. What must occur with the DNA in the original cells in order for mitosis to make new cells?
The DNA must replicate first before the cell starts Mitosis. This is usually called the S phase. S stands for synthesis because the DNA must build itself again.
Mitosis is the process by which body cells or the somatic cells divide to produce two daughter cells which are identical to the parent cell, such that they have equal number of chromosomes as the parent cell.
For the process of mitosis to occur DNA replication must take place. DNA replication is the process by which DNA recopies itself, a process catalyzed by the enzyme DNA polymerase. The process is a semi-conservative process which means the two new DNA molecules formed will be such that each has a new strand and an old strand from the original DNA.
