can mitosis occur without cytokinesis?

Question

I know sometimes meiosis can occur in error, i.e. some cells are left with an extra chromosome which can lead to disorders such as down syndrome. Prior to meiosis, however, animal cells undergo mitosis and cytokinesis. Mitosis occurs when the nucleus splits, and cytokinesis occurs when the cytoplasm, or essentially the rest of the cell splits. It appears to be generally accepted that the 2 occur in sync. But I wonder if mitosis could just occur without cytokinesis occuring? Like could the nucleus just spit into 2 (mitosis), but the cytoplasm still remain intact, resulting in a single cell with 2 nuclei? And if so what would be the results of such an occurence?

Answer 1

Yes, it happens often, especially early during insect development:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncytium

Answer 2

I believe that this occurs in the following processes and organisms:(but not sure; check into it)
1) Sporulation ,or spore formation, like in some fungi/molds/yeast.
2) Some types of cancer cells
3) Some white blood cells are multinucleated - a result of no cytokinesis in the bone marrow?
4) possibly during fruit formation (polyploidy-multiples of the n number)
5)sexual reproduction in Paramecium caudatum (conjugation)
6) Paramecium multimicronucleatum has several nuclei

Answer 3

Mitosis process by which a cell separates. Genome 2 identical halves.
Ctokinesis divide the cytoplasm and cell membtane. Result: 2 identical daughter cells.
Motosis and Cytokinesis together are defined as the Mitotic {m} phase.
Okinesis and Mitosis may occur independently..

Answer 4

Sure it can. The result would be an incomplete cell cycle and the cell would contain twice the amount of DNA than the normal cell. This is not considered a mutation (the DNA content has not changed, just simply doubled). I am sure that this type of thing happens, but the cell cycle has many check points and repair mechanisms to deal with mistakes like the one you have described. The most likely consequence is that the cell will undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Answer 5

no, i don't think mitosis could occur w/o cytokinesis b/c cytokinesis is initiated to end the cell division process (it's the last step in Mitosis.

Answer 6

I'm sure this can happen. In fact when I googled it results on breast cancer came up (couldn't get into the websites though - password needed).

Answer 7

Yes, it can happen, but then the cell would be a mutation.

Answer 8

yeah, but osmosis is another story all together.