how many DNA molecules exist in the human somatic cell during the synthesis stage of mitosis?

Question

how many DNA molecules exist in the human somatic cell during the synthesis stage of mitosis?

Answer 1

Marina,

 

Human somatic cells would have two kinds of DNA during interphase of mitosis, that is the stage you are referring to. There would be genomic DNA in the nucleus. At this stage it is chromatin that can be stained by DAPI ( a stain specific for nuclear DNA) and is visible as meshwork of threads in the nucleus of the cell. Another kind of DNA is mitochondrial DNA that is present inside mitochondrion of the cell and has different staining procedure.  

 

Typically, human somatic cells have 46  chromosomes; assuming that each chromosome is one long DNA-protein structure, it would have 46 DNA molecules that would undergo replication prior to chromosome duplication and cell-division. 

 

At interphase various proteins are translated/synthesized and they initiate cell-division through signaling and subsequent chromosome replication, segregation and spindle formation.

 

Hope this helps,