Biology STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Practice Test

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What is the main purpose of mitosis in multicelled organisms?

  1. To produce glucose for energy

  2. To form reproductive cells

  3. To enable growth and development

  4. To maintain homeostasis

The correct answer is: To enable growth and development

Mitosis is a fundamental process in multicellular organisms primarily aimed at cell division and the creation of new cells. The main purpose of mitosis is to enable growth and development by generating additional cells that allow an organism to increase in size, replace damaged or dead cells, and maintain tissue health. As cells divide through mitosis, each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes, preserving the genetic information necessary for the functioning of the new cells. While other options such as maintaining homeostasis, producing glucose, or forming reproductive cells are important biological processes, they are not the primary goal of mitosis. Mitosis focuses specifically on the increase in cell numbers to facilitate growth and development, which is crucial for the overall functioning and lifecycle of multicellular organisms.