The cell cycle is really interesting! Let’s break it down step by step:

1. Interphase: This is where the cell spends most of its time. During this stage, the cell grows and makes a copy of its DNA. Interphase has three parts:

   • G1 phase: The cell grows.
   • S phase: The cell makes new DNA.
   • G2 phase: The cell gets ready to divide.

2. Mitosis: This is the part where the cell actually divides. Mitosis has four stages:

   • Prophase
   • Metaphase
   • Anaphase
   • Telophase

3. Cytokinesis: This is the final step where the cell's cytoplasm splits, creating two separate cells.

There are special checkpoints during these stages. These checkpoints make sure everything is going well and help catch any mistakes. Isn’t that cool?