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Cytokinesis in Animal Cells

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In an animal cell, cytokinesis divides the cytoplasm as a contractile actin ring pulls the plasma membrane inward at the former metaphase plate, forming a deepening cleavage furrow.

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The cleavage furrow deepens until it pinches the parent cell fully in two, producing separate daughters.

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Cytokinesis is distinct from mitosis — a cell can complete mitosis and skip cytokinesis, yielding one multinucleate cell.