Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) Sterile Processing Technician Practice Exam

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Bacteria are unicellular and reproduce by which process?

  1. Binary Fission

  2. Cell Division

  3. Mitosis

  4. Meiosis

The correct answer is: Binary Fission

Bacteria, being unicellular organisms, commonly reproduce through a process known as binary fission. This method is characterized by the splitting of a single bacterial cell into two identical daughter cells. During binary fission, the bacterium duplicates its genetic material and then divides, allowing for rapid population growth, which can occur in optimum conditions in a matter of hours. Unlike mitosis and meiosis, which are processes associated with multicellular organisms for growth, repair, and sexual reproduction, respectively, binary fission is specifically adapted to the needs of unicellular organisms like bacteria. Mitosis involves the division of cells that have a nucleus and involves more complex mechanisms to ensure the proper distribution of chromosomes, while meiosis is specifically for the production of gametes and involves two rounds of division resulting in four genetically diverse cells. Cell division is a more general term that does not specify the exact mechanism used by bacteria, highlighting why binary fission is the most accurate choice in this context.