Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam 2026 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Cytokinesis is defined as the process that occurs at the end of cell division, specifically separating the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells. This stage follows mitosis, where the nucleus contents are divided, and cytokinesis involves the physical splitting of the cytoplasm, leading to the formation of two distinct cells. This process is crucial for ensuring that each daughter cell has its own organelles and cytoplasm, thereby enabling them to function independently.

The separation of chromosomes is a part of mitosis, which occurs before cytokinesis, and does not describe the division of the cell as a whole. The replication of DNA happens during the S phase of the cell cycle, prior to mitosis and cytokinesis. Lastly, the formation of the nuclear envelope also relates to mitosis, as it occurs around the separated chromosomes before cytokinesis begins, further delineating the stages of cell division. Therefore, the correct definition of cytokinesis centers on the division of the cytoplasm itself.