Biology · Cell Cycle and Cell Division · NEET
About 24 hours. NCERT states that human cells in culture divide once in approximately every 24 hours. This is the standard number NEET expects for the human cell cycle. Remember it as one full day.
Yeast is a simple, single-celled organism (Saccharomyces) with a smaller genome and fewer regulatory demands, so it races through the cycle in about 90 minutes. NCERT gives yeast as the example of a much shorter cycle. You do not need extra reasons for NEET — just remember the 90-minute value and that duration varies with the organism.
No. NCERT clearly says the duration can vary from organism to organism and also from cell type to cell type. So 24 hours is only for a typical human cell in culture; nerve and muscle cells may not divide at all, while gut lining cells divide much more often. Never treat 24 hours as a universal fixed value.
Only about 1 hour. NCERT states that in the 24-hour average duration of a human cell cycle, cell division proper (M phase) lasts only about an hour, while interphase lasts more than 95% of the cycle. This is a favourite NEET fact — most of the day is spent preparing, not dividing.
More than 95%. Because M phase is only about 1 hour out of 24, the remaining time (G1 + S + G2) makes interphase over 95% of the total cell cycle in a human cell. This links the duration fact to why interphase is called the resting/preparatory phase.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
About 24 hours. A typical human cell in culture divides once approximately every 24 hours, as stated in NCERT.
About 90 minutes. Yeast can progress through the entire cell cycle in only about 90 minutes, the NCERT example for a very short cycle.
Human cells are larger, have a bigger genome and more regulation, so they need about 24 hours, while the simple single-celled yeast needs only about 90 minutes. NCERT only asks you to know the values and that duration varies by organism and cell type.
About 1 hour. Of the 24-hour cycle, actual cell division (M phase) is only about an hour; interphase takes more than 95% of the time.
No. It applies to a typical human cell in culture. Duration changes from organism to organism and from one cell type to another.
