Cytokinesis in animals is when the cell membrane pinches in, dividing the cytoplasm into 2 cells.
What happens during Cytokinesis?
During cytokinesis in animal cells, the cell membrane pinches in at the equator of the cell, forming a structure known as the cleavage furrow.
This furrow deepens as the cell membrane continues to pinch inward, which eventually pinches the cell into two distinct daughter cells, each with its own nucleus and a share of the cytoplasm and organelles.
In plant cells, cytokinesis is different because of the presence of a rigid cell wall. Instead of pinching in, a cell plate forms in the middle of the cell, growing outward until it reaches the existing cell walls, thereby dividing the cell into two.