mitotic

mitotic

[mītot′ik]

Etymology: Gk, mitos, thread

pertaining to or characterized by mitosis, the process of cell division in the formation of identical daughter cells.

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mitotic

pertaining to mitosis.

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mitotic activity

degree to which a cell population is proliferating; used as an index of tumor aggression. Can be quantified by counting the percentage of cells showing mitotic figures, or by flow cytometry.

mitotic figure

the condensed chromosomes by which a cell that is undergoing mitosis can be identified.

mitotic index

the percentage of cells simultaneously in the process of division, normally calculated after counting 1000 cells. Used in morbid pathology as a measure of the malignancy of a tumor, and in clinical pathology as an index of survival time of a neoplasm.

mitotic metaphase chromosomes

chromosomes in metaphase manifesting as mitotic figures.

mitotic nondisjunction

failure of proper disjunction of the paired chromosomes during metaphase which results in the chromosomal abnormalities of monosomy or trisomy.

mitotic potential

estimate of the cell's potential reproductive capacity.