Cell Division Flashcards
What are the four different phases of the cell cycle?
G1, S, G2 and M
What is the collective term for G1, S phase and G2 phase?
Interphase
What is M phase?
Mitosis
What is the purpose of the G1/S and G2/M checkpoints?
- Prevent uncontrolled cell division which could lead to cancerous tumours
- Detect and repair damaged DNA
What can happen to cells if the p53 protein itself is mutated?
Cells will pass through the checkpoints without being checked and therefore could quickly become cancerous
What is G0 phase?
A phase that cell can enter from the G1 phase when triggered by a checkpoint chemical at the G1 checkpoint. In G0 the cell can undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death) or differentiation or senescence (meaning the cell can no longer divide). Some cells stay in this phase for a very long time or indefinitely
What happens in G1 phase?
- Cells grow and increase in size
- RNA is produced from transcription of genes
- Organelles duplicate
- Biosynthesis occurs including protein synthesis and making enzymes that are needed for DNA replication in S phase
- p53 (tumour suppressor) gene helps control this phase
What happens in S phase?
- DNA is replicated (all 46 chromosomes are replicated)
- If a cell enters this phase, it’s committed to completing the cell cycle
- Each chromosome consists of a pair of identical sister chromatids after the DNA has been replicated. There are still 46 chromosomes but double the amount of genetic material
- This phase is rapid to reduce the chance of spontaneous mutations as the exposed DNA base pairs are more susceptible to mutagenic agents
What happens in G2 phase?
- Special chemicals ensure the cell is ready for mitosis by stimulating proteins that will be involved in making chromosomes condense and in formation of the spindle
- Cells also grow in this phase
What happens during prophase?
- Chromosomes supercoil and become visible
- Nuclear envelope also breaks down
- Centrioles divide and move to opposite poles of the cell where tubulin threads start forming a spindle between these centrioles
What happens in metaphase?
- Pairs of chromatids attach to the spindle threads at the equator region
- They attach by their centromeres
What happens during anaphase?
- Centromere of each pair of spindle fibres breaks down
- Motor proteins walk along tubulin threads and pull each sister chromatid of a pair to opposite poles of the cell
- Because the centromere has been removed, the chromatids (now called chromosomes) are V shaped
What happens in telophase?
- Separated chromosomes reach the poles
- New nuclear envelope forms around each new set of chromosomes
- Cell now contains two nuclei each genetically identical to each other and the parent cell from which they arose
What happens in cytokinesis?
- The cell divides to form two genetically identical daughter cells
- Each new cell has a full set of chromosomes (each with one chromatid)
What is the significance of mitosis in life?
- Asexual reproduction
- Tissue repair
- Growth
What happens in prophase 1?
- Chromatin condenses and each chromosome supercoils
- Nuclear envelope breaks down and tubulin threads start to from a spindle between centrioles
- Chromosomes come together in their homologous pairs
- Each member of the pair consists of two chromatids
- Crossing over occurs where chromatids from different chromosomes (non-sister) wrap around each other and and may swap sections so that alleles are shuffled
What happens in metaphase 1?
- Pairs of homologous chromosomes (still in their crossed over state) attach along the equator of the spindle
- Each chromosome attaches to the spindle by its centromere
- Each pair of homologous chromosomes is arranged differently with each chromosome facing opposite poles of the cell
- This arrangement is independent assortment
- The way the homologous chromosomes line up in metaphase 1 (the pole which each member of the pair is facing) determines which daughter cell they will go to in anaphase 1 (how they will independently segregate)
What happens in anaphase 1?
- Members of each pair of homologous chromosomes are pulled apart by motor proteins that drag them across the tubulin threads of the spindle
- Centromeres do not divide and each chromosome still consists of two chromatids
- Crossed over areas separate resulting in swapped areas of chromosomes and allele shuffling
What happens in telophase 1?
- In most animal cells, two new nuclear membranes form around around the two sets of chromosomes and the cell divides by cytokinesis, there is a short interphase where chromosomes uncoil
- Each new nucleus contains half the amount of chromosomes but each chromosome contains 2 chromatids meaning that there is the same amount of genetic material (46 chromatids)
- In most plant cells the cell goes straight from anaphase 1 to prophase 2