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Specimen 098
Oxytricha undergoing the last processes of asexual binary fission. During fission, the micronucleus undergoes mitosis and the macronucleus elongates and undergoes amitosis. The cell then divides in two and each new cell obtains a copy of the micronucleus and the macronucleus. Oxytricha is a genus of unicellular, freshwater ciliates that are elongated in shape and can reach lengths of up to 1 mm. Oxytricha is its ability to reproduce both asexually and sexually. During asexual reproduction, the cell divides into two daughter cells, each of which grows to full size before undergoing division again. This allows Oxytricha to rapidly increase its population size in favorable conditions. During sexual reproduction, two cells fuse together to form a temporary conjugation pair. The cells exchange genetic material, which leads to the formation of new genetic combinations. |