what is a cleavage furrow course hero

by Stephen Gerhold 6 min read

A cleavage furrow is an indentation that appears in a cell ’s surface when the cell is preparing to divide. It marks the beginning of the cell’s “pinching” its cell membrane and cytoplasm down the middle. Eventually, the cell will pinch itself completely in two, forming two daughter cells.

Full Answer

What is cleavage furrow?

A cleavage furrow is an indentation that appears in a cell ’s surface when the cell is preparing to divide. It marks the beginning of the cell’s “pinching” its cell membrane and cytoplasm down the middle. Eventually, the cell will pinch itself completely in two, forming two daughter cells. This furrow is created by the same proteins ...

Where are cleavage furrows found?

Cleavage furrows are primarily found in animal cells and some algal cells. Plant cells, which have stiff, inflexible cell walls that cannot be easily bent or “pinched,” use a cell plate instead. The cell plate grows a new cell wall from the middle of the cell outward to touch the edges, instead of pinching the cell membrane inward ...

Why are cleavage furrows not found in plant cells?

Cleavage furrows are not found in plant cells, because plant cells have rigid walls that cannot be bent. Instead, plant cells grow new cell walls from the inside using a cell plate. 2. Which of the following proteins is NOT involved in the creation of the cleavage furrow?

What proteins are responsible for the furrowing of muscle cells?

This furrow is created by the same proteins that allow muscle cells to contract: actin and myosin. These proteins, which have the ability to expand or contract, form a “contractile ring” that begins squeezing the cell along its middle. The squeezing creates a drawstring effect, by this contractile ring until the opposite ends ...

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