2.1.6: Cell division, cell diversity and organisation Flashcards
What are chromosomes made up of?
Chromatin (DNA and histome proteins)
What is meant by the term ‘homologous pair of chromosomes’?
One member of the pair comes from each parent.
Both chromosomes have some length, pattern of bonding, order, genes but DIFFERENT ALLELES
What is interphase?
The growth period of the cell cycle, between cell divisions (mitotic phase).
What are the stages of interphase?
G₁
S
G₂
What are the three main stages of the cell cycle?
- Interphase
- Mitosis (division of the nucleus)
- Cytokinesis (division of the cytoplasm)
What is G₀?
A phase when the cell leaves the cell cycle.
Can be temporary or permanent.
Why might a cell enter G₀?
- If cell’s DNA becomes damaged (so not viable)
- If the cell undergoes differentiation
- Due to age, when cell has reached maximum number of divisions
What occurs in G₁?
First phase of growth
• New organelles formed
• Intense biochemical activity –> cell increases in size
• Cytoplasm is active
What happens in the S phase of interphase?
• DNA is replicated
chromosomes ⟶ chromatids
What occurs in G₂?
Second phase of growth
• More growth of cell
• Increase in energy stores
• Preparation for mitosis
What does the G₁ checkpoint check for?
- Cell size
- Nutrients
- Growth factors
- DNA damage
What does the G₂ checkpoint check for?
- Cell size
- DNA replication
- DNA damage
What does the spindle assembly checkpoint check for?
Chromosome attachment to spindle
What are the checkpoints in the cell cycle?
- G₁ checkpoint
- G₂ checkpoint
- Spindle assembly checkpoint
What is mitosis?
Cell division of the nucleus which results in genetically identical daughter cells.
Why is mitosis necessary?
- Growth in a multicellular organism
- Repair of tissues by replacement of cells
- Asexual reproduction in eukaryotic single-celled organisms
- Production of B plasma cells in immune response
- production of gametes from haploid cells
- production of new stem cells
Name the four stages of mitosis
1) Prophase
2) Metaphase
3) Anaphase
4) Telophase
Describe the structure of chromosomes following the S phase of interphase
Each chromosome is now made of two chromatids held together at the centromere.
What occurs in mitotic prophase?
- Chromosomes supercoil
- Nuclear envelope breaks down –> fragmented into vesicles
- Centrioles produce spindle fibres from opposite poles
- Spindle fibres attach to centromere
What occurs in mitotic metaphase?
• Chromosomes moved by the spindle fibres to metaphase plate
What occurs in mitotic anaphase?
• Centromeres divide
• Chromatids pulled to opposite ends of cell by contracting spindle fibres
⟶ characteristic V shape
What occurs in mitotic telophase?
• Chromosomes assemble at each pole ⟶ Start to uncoil • Nuclear envelope forms • Nucleolus forms • Cytokinesis begins
Describe cytokinesis in animal cells
1) Cleavage furrow forms
2) Cytoskeleton pulls membrane inwards until the cell separates in two
Describe cytokinesis in plant cells
1) Due to cell wall, cleavage furrow cannot form
∴ Vesicles from Golgi assemble along same plate as metaphase plate was
2) Vesicles fuse with each other and the cell membrane
3) Cell wall forms after this to avoid osmotic lysis
Mitotic index calculation
MI = no. cells with condensed chromosomes
total number of cell
Asexual reproduction
production of genetically identical offspring from one parent.
–> Bacterial asexual reproduction is binary fission, not mitosis.