Question

Which type of cell division occurs during cleavage?

Hint:

Recall which division type preserves chromosome number while increasing cell count rapidly.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding Cleavage:
After fertilisation, the zygote undergoes rapid, repeated divisions called cleavage as it travels through the fallopian tube towards the uterus, forming a multicellular ball called the morula.

Step 2: Identifying the Division Type:
These rapid divisions are mitotic divisions — each division produces daughter cells (blastomeres) with the same chromosome number as the zygote, without an intervening growth phase.