How Do Cells Know When to Divide?

Cells use a special kind of timer to know when to split. Imagine you're playing a game, and every time you complete a level, you get a point. When you reach 10 points, the game lets you start again with a new character, just like how cells divide when they have enough energy and space.

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Examples

  1. A seed grows into a tree by dividing its cells many times.
  2. When your skin gets a cut, new cells divide to heal it.
  3. Bacteria multiply by splitting in two every few minutes.

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