What is cytokinesis?

Cytokinesis is the process that occurs at the end of cell division, specifically following mitosis and meiosis, where the cytoplasm of a parental cell physically divides into two daughter cells. This process ensures that each daughter cell receives an appropriate amount of cytoplasm and organelles, which is essential for their individual functionality and survival. Cytokinesis typically involves the formation of a cleavage furrow in animal cells or a cell plate in plant cells, leading to the separation of the two new cells.

In contrast, nuclear division refers specifically to the division of the nucleus and its genetic material, which is a distinct process known as mitosis or meiosis. Cellular differentiation describes the process by which a less specialized cell becomes more specialized in function, which is unrelated to the division of the cytoplasm. Lastly, cell metabolism encompasses all the biochemical reactions occurring within a cell, but does not directly pertain to the physical division of one cell into two.