Where in the cell does DNA replication take place?

DNA replication occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. This is the compartment of the cell that houses the genetic material and provides an environment suitable for the complex processes involved in DNA synthesis, including unwinding the double helix and synthesizing new strands. The nucleus contains the necessary enzymes and proteins, such as DNA polymerases, that facilitate the replication process.

In contrast, other cellular locations serve different functions. The cytoplasm houses various organelles and is the site of numerous metabolic processes, but it is not where DNA replication occurs in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria do contain their own DNA and can replicate that DNA independently, but the majority of the cell's DNA replication occurs in the nucleus. Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis and do not have a role in DNA replication.