All cells can clone themselves.

They have this ability to reproduce themselves because thats what allows organisms to develop, heal, grow and prevent themselves from dying for as long as possible. This particular part of cell division is called mitosis and it is responsible for a lot of your bodies key functions. - E.g. If you get a cut, you need to repair those cells and this is done by mitosis. - E.g. If you grow from a 7 pound baby to a 70 pound child, its not your cells that are increasing in mass its just that youre getting more of those cells; mitosis. Inside each cell there is a nucleus that stores DNA which contains all the information on how to build you. This DNA is organized into chromosomes. In your body cells (somatic cells) there are 46 chromosomes grouped into 23 pairs. One of these pairs is from your mom and the other pair from your dad. Cells with all 46 chromosomes are called diploid cells. Cells with 23 chromosomes are called haploid cells. These haploid cells are also known as your sex cells (gametes) which are produced in a process known as meiosis. Mitosis allows for a cell with 46 chromosomes to split and form another cell with 46 chromosomes. Both of those cells are genetically identical. Mitosis takes place in discrete stages known as prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Interphase means the cells are in between episodes of mitosis. During interphase, the chromatin cannot be seen clearly. The DNA within these cells are called chromatin until the prophase In the prophase, the centrioles separate themselves forming fibres between them. The chromosomes get short and fat and can now be seen with a light microscope. Each chromosome contains two chromatids. In the metaphase, the spindle is formed by the fibres made by the centrioles. The nuclear membrane vanishes and the chromosomes line up on the equator of the spindle. During the anaphase, the centromere of each chromosome splits so the two chromatids separate. The chromatids move away from each other along the spindle fibres.

 During the telophase, the chromatids arrive at opposite ends of the cell and form into groups. A nuclear membrane appears round each group and the spindle fibres fade away. The last stage is called cytokinesis where the nuclei move apart from each other and two new cells are now formed each with a full set of 46 chromosomes. These cells are called daughter cells and are genetically identical to each other and their parent.

There are two basic types of reproduction; asexual and sexual. Asexual Reproduction Mitosis takes place in asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction involves only one parent. The parent organism simply produces new cells by mitosis which will grow into a new organism. Since mitosis produces cells which are exactly like the parent cell, the new organism is exactly like the parent. Amoeba reproduces asexually by a process known as binary fission. This happens when the cell gets so large that its surface area to volume ratio is too small to allow gaseous exchange to occur easily. In good conditions, division takes place every 2 to 3 days.