A type of cell division where DNA replicates multiple times within a nucleus without the nucleus dividing, creating cells with more than the normal number of chromosomes.
From 'endo-' (within) and 'mitosis' (cell division). This cytological term was coined in the mid-20th century as researchers observed unusual chromosome doubling in certain cell types under the microscope.
Liver cells use endomitosis to become polyploid and more efficient at their jobs—they cheat the normal cell division rules to become metabolic powerhouses, showing how cells innovate their own strategies.
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