What occurs during cytokinesis?

Cytokinesis is the process that occurs at the end of cell division, specifically after the nuclear division (mitosis or meiosis), leading to the complete separation of the daughter cells. During this phase, the cytoplasm of a parental cell divides, resulting in the formation of two distinct daughter cells, each with its own nucleus and organelles.

This is a critical step in cell division, as it ensures that each daughter cell has the necessary components to survive and function independently. The physical mechanism of cytokinesis differs between plant and animal cells: in animal cells, a contractile ring forms that pinches the cell membrane inward, while in plant cells, a new cell wall forms between the two daughter cells.

The other choices describe different aspects of cellular processes that occur at various stages of cell division. For instance, the division of the nucleus occurs during mitosis, the formation of the cell membrane is part of cellular structure maintenance rather than a specific phase of cell division, and chromatin condensation happens during prophase preceding the nuclear division.