What occurs during cytokinesis?

During cytokinesis, the final stage of cell division, the cytoplasm of a parental cell divides, leading to the formation of two separate daughter cells. This occurs after the processes of mitosis or meiosis, where the cell's genetic material has already been divided into two identical sets within the nuclei. During cytokinesis, the cell membrane pinches in at the center, a process often facilitated by a structure known as the contractile ring, ultimately resulting in the physical separation of the two daughter cells. Each daughter cell contains an identical set of chromosomes and is enclosed in its own membrane, thus completing the cell division process.

Other processes mentioned in the choices, such as the division of the nucleus, genetic material replication, and the alignment of chromosomes, occur at different stages of cell division, specifically during mitosis. Thus, their descriptions do not characterize the event of cytokinesis.