Somatic Cells Spend the Majority of Their Functional Lives in ________

Question

Somatic cells spend the majority of their functional lives in ________.
A) prophase
B) metastasis
C) interphase
D) DNA replication
E) anaphase

Accepted Answer

Somatic cells spend the majority of their functional lives in interphase, which includes the G1, S, and G2 phases. During interphase, the cell is carrying out its normal functions and preparing for cell division. Other phases, such as prophase and anaphase, are only a small part of the cell cycle and occur during mitosis. Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body and is not a normal part of somatic cell function. DNA replication occurs during the S phase of interphase.