Nearly all cells grow increasing in size, but eventually, most cells divide after growing to a certain point. There are three main reasons why cells divide rather than continue to grow.

1. The larger a cell becomes, the more demands the cell places on its DNA.
2. A larger cell is less efficient in moving nutrients and waste materials across the cell membrane.
3. Multiple cells are more effective in repairing damaged cells.

The eukaryotic cell cycle can be divided into two main stages: interphase, and the mitotic or M phase. The G₁ phase, the S phase, and the G₂ phase all take place during interphase. G₀ is a resting phase where the cell has stopped dividing. The mitotic or M phase consists of the mitosis and cytokinesis.

Watch the following video for an overview of each stage of the eukaryotic cell cycle.

Directions: Drag and drop the descriptions to the appropriate stage.