Anatomy
Fact-checked

At TheHealthBoard, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How Long does It Take for Cells to Divide?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

The amount of time it takes for one cell to completely divide in most mammals, including the human body, is about 24 hours. Some cells take more or less time, depending on their purpose; a fly embryo takes only eight minutes to divide, for example, while a human liver cell could take more than a year. Gametes, cells used in sexual reproduction, can take decades to divide. Abnormal cell division can also occur, resulting in cancerous cells that multiply much more rapidly.

Average Cell Division Times

Cell Type Process Time
fly embryo mitosis 8 minutes
bacteria mitosis 20 minutes
yeast mitosis 2 hours
human skin mitosis 20 - 24 hours
human sperm meiosis about 64 days
human liver mitosis 1 year or more
human egg meiosis up to 40 years or more
human nerve mitosis never, once mature

Mitosis

A human sperm cell requires an average of 64 days for meiosis.
A human sperm cell requires an average of 64 days for meiosis.

There are two primary types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis allows for both an entire unicellular organism to reproduce and the tissues in multicellular animals to be repaired. In this process, a "parent" cell doubles its chromosomes and then divides itself into two identical "daughter" cells. In the case of bacteria and rapidly growing organisms like a fetus or a young animal, cell division takes place very rapidly so the organism can grow and thrive. Most of the cells in fully-grown organisms divide on a much slower scale to slowly renew the body. The exception to this is in areas like the skin and bone marrow, which are constantly generating new cells so that, if an injury is sustained, the cells can divide quickly to heal the area.

Two unicellular organisms.
Two unicellular organisms.

Though there are many types of cells, the same general cell cycle takes place during mitosis for most mammals. During the cycle, the cell grows and rests, copying its DNA and dividing into new daughter cells. Each step must be complete before the next one can begin. There are also a variety of checkpoints built into the process that ensure that the proper changes have taken place before the signal to start the next stage is sent.

The cell cycle has four main stages:

  • The first gap, or G1, during which the cell grows and develops, takes from zero to five hours. Not all cells progress from this stage; if not, they move into a state called G0, where they are not able to divide. Most cells in the body are actually in G0 phase.
  • The next stage is called the synthesis, or S, phase when DNA is replicated. It takes from six to eight hours to complete.
  • The cycle then enters the second gap phase (G2), which takes from two to five hours. As in G1, this is when the cell grows and produces proteins as it prepares to divide.
  • Finally, the mitosis, or M, phase is when the DNA is divided and separates, and the cell divides. It lasts only about one hour.
A cell dividing into two daughter cells.
A cell dividing into two daughter cells.

These time estimates are averages for most cells in the body as not all cells divide at the same speed. Some cells, such as brain and liver cells, do not typically divide at all. Cells in the liver can go through mitosis to repair minor damage, but may take a long time to complete the process.

The Phases of Meiosis

Meiosis, which takes place only in multicellular animals, involves forming eggs and sperm, or gametes, for sexual reproduction. The end product is four daughter cells, each of which contains a unique combination of half of the original chromosomes. In humans, for example, an egg and sperm each contain 23 chromosomes, which when combined, make up the 46 found in most cells.

Although each is made up of several stages, there are three main phases of meiosis:

  • Interphase is the first phase, and is similar to the first two stages of mitosis, with the cell growing and replicating its DNA.
  • During the next phase, meiosis I, the homologous chromosomes — those that come from each parent and have genes for the same characteristics — are paired and DNA is exchanged to create new combinations. The pairs of chromosomes then line up and are moved to opposite sides of the cell, and the cell divides into two daughter cells.
  • The meiosis II phase repeats many of the steps from phase I; however, the DNA is not replicated. As a result, when the two daughter cells split, the four resulting cells contain only half of the chromosomes, and the DNA in each is unique.
A cell.
A cell.

Each of these phases can take different amounts of time, depending on the species and gender of the organism. In human women, the meiosis process starts before birth as the oogonia — immature eggs — develop in a fetus. The development process stops in the middle of the meiosis I phase, however, until the body needs the cell to become an egg. This means that this type of cell division can take decades to be completed, as a woman's eggs continue to develop until menopause, usually in a woman's 40s or 50s. In men, meiosis to produce sperm does not begin until puberty, and takes about 64 days.

The stages of mitosis.
The stages of mitosis.

Meiosis is a one-way process that must occur alongside of mitosis. In prenatal development, the sperm fertilizes the egg to form a zygote. Within 24 to 30 hours, the zygote then goes through its first cell division using mitosis; one cell becomes two, and then those two divide into four, and so on. This process continues to replicate cells in a mitotic cell cycle as the organism develops.

Cancer

Cells that divide too quickly, to the point where their growth becomes out of control, are called cancer. Abnormal rapid cell growth can result in damage or mutation to the genes needed for a mature cell to function. There are many reasons that cells can divide and grow out of control, including genetic causes, nutritional deficiencies, some infections, or exposure to environmental causes, such as carcinogens or ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Cancer can begin with a single cell that starts to multiply too rapidly, with the cells then unable to receive the proper instructions to make proteins in order to grow, multiply, and, in general, survive.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a TheHealthBoard researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a TheHealthBoard researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon969200

Can we control the time which is taken for the cell division?

anon928544

Eukaryotic and prokaryotic. Eukaryotic is anything but bacteria, prokaryotic has no nucleus. (bacteria)

Plant cells are different from animal cells. Their cytokinesis is different; they don't have centrioles or (I think) asters, etc.

anon354374

I need to know all cell types please.

anon353316

How long does it take for a blood and bone cell reproduce?

anon318538

How long does it take for cardiac muscle cells to reproduce?

anon160153

we are doing this for science. But how quickly do they reproduce?

anon158662

Where in an animal, such as a mouse, does cell growth take place most rapidly?

anon125636

how long does each stage of interphase and mitosis take? Please answer. it's our science assignment.

anon25946

How long does it take for a human egg and sperm cell to go through meiosis?

anon21613

How long does meiosis take in each phase? (interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase)

anon2907

How long does it take for an embryo to replicate DNA around about in a human and does species, at this stage make a difference in the speed of DNA replication?

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • A human sperm cell requires an average of 64 days for meiosis.
      By: Alexandr Mitiuc
      A human sperm cell requires an average of 64 days for meiosis.
    • Two unicellular organisms.
      Two unicellular organisms.
    • A cell dividing into two daughter cells.
      By: Luk Cox
      A cell dividing into two daughter cells.
    • A cell.
      By: Jezper
      A cell.
    • The stages of mitosis.
      By: Vanessa
      The stages of mitosis.