Cell Division Flashcards
Why must cells divide?
Cells must divide to maintain an optimal size and function.
Cells cannot be too big due to the Surface Area to Volume ratio; as cells grow, volume increases faster than surface area.
What is the Surface Area to Volume ratio?
It is a measure that describes how the surface area of a cell relates to its volume.
A higher ratio allows for more efficient exchange of materials.
What happens during Interphase?
Interphase consists of G1, S, and G2 phases where the cell grows, replicates DNA, and prepares for mitosis.
G1: Cell growth; S: DNA synthesis; G2: Preparation for mitosis.
What are the checkpoints in the cell cycle?
Checkpoints are control mechanisms that ensure proper cell division and DNA integrity.
They check for DNA damage and cell size.
How is cancer related to the cell cycle?
Cancer arises when the cell cycle is disrupted, leading to uncontrolled cell division.
Cells that duplicate quickly have a greater chance of mutations slipping through the checkpoints.
What is the goal of mitosis?
The goal of mitosis is to produce two identical daughter cells.
Each daughter cell receives an exact copy of the parent cell’s chromosomes.
What are the phases of mitosis?
The phases of mitosis are Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase.
Each phase has distinct events that lead to cell division.
What is a stem cell?
A stem cell is an undifferentiated cell that has the potential to develop into different cell types.
There are adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
What is the difference between adult and embryonic stem cells?
Adult stem cells are limited in differentiation, while embryonic stem cells are pluripotent and can become any cell type.
Embryonic stem cells are controversial due to ethical concerns surrounding their source.
What do scientists hope stem cells may be able to do in the future?
Scientists hope stem cells may be able to regenerate damaged tissues and treat various diseases.
This includes conditions like spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
Fill in the blank: The phases of the cell cycle include G1, ___, and G2.
S
True or False: Cells in the Go phase can be repaired if damaged.
False
What is apoptosis?
Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death.
It is a mechanism to remove damaged or unnecessary cells.
What is a chromatid?
A chromatid is one half of a duplicated chromosome.
Sister chromatids are identical and are joined at the centromere.
What is a centromere?
A centromere is the region where sister chromatids are joined together.
It plays a crucial role during cell division.
What are telomeres?
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences at the ends of chromosomes that protect them from deterioration.
They play a role in cellular aging.
What is the mitotic spindle?
The mitotic spindle is a structure made of microtubules that segregates chromosomes during cell division.
It ensures that each daughter cell receives the correct number of chromosomes.
What are centrioles?
Centrioles are cylindrical structures that help organize the mitotic spindle during cell division.
They are found in pairs and play a key role in cell division.
What is cell differentiation?
Cell differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized in structure and function.
This is essential for the development of multicellular organisms.
What does undifferentiated mean?
Undifferentiated refers to cells that have not yet developed into a specific type with a specialized function.
Stem cells are an example of undifferentiated cells.
What does pluripotent mean?
Pluripotent describes stem cells that can differentiate into any cell type of the body.
Embryonic stem cells are typically pluripotent.
