Cell Division (cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis, organisation/specialisation of cells, stem cells) Flashcards
Phases of the cell cycle in eukaryotes?
Interphase, mitotic (division) phase
What phase does a cell spend the most time in?
Interphase
What happens during interphase?
- DNA is replicated and checked for errors in the nucleus
- Protein synthesis occurs in the cytoplasm
- Mitochondria grow and divide, increasing in number in the cytoplasm
- Chloroplasts grow and divide in plant and algal cell cytoplasm, increasing in number
- The normal metabolic processes of cells occur (some, including cell respiration, also occur throughout cell division)
What are the three stages of interphase?
G1, S, G2
What happens during the G1 phase of interphase?
The first growth phase: proteins from which organelles are synthesised and produced and organelles replicate. The cell increases in size
What happens during the S phase of interphase?
Synthesis phase: DNA is replicated in the nucleus
What happens during the G2 phase of interphase?
The second growth phase: the cell continues to increase in size, energy stores are increased and the duplicated DNA is checked for errors
What is the mitotic phase of the cell cycle?
The period of cell division, it has two stages: mitosis and cytokinesis
What is cytokinesis?
The cytoplasm divides and two cells are produced
What happens in the phase G0?
This is the stage where the cell leaves the cell cycle (at the end of G1), either temporarily or permanently. This could be because of differentiation, damaged DNA, or the age of a cell (senescent cells - cells can only divide a certain number of times)
What are the control mechanisms in the cell cycle called? What do they ensure?
They’re called checkpoints, they ensure that each phase of interphase has been accurately completed before moving onto the next phase
What happens during the G1 checkpoint?
The checkpoint is at the end of the G1 phase, before entry into S phase. It checks for: cell size, nutrients, growth factors, and DNA damage
What happens during the G2 checkpoint?
This checkpoint is at the end of the G2 phase, before the start of the mitotic phase. It checks for: cell size, DNA replication and DNA damage
What happens during the spindle assembly / metaphase checkpoint (during mitosis)? Why is it important?
It checks to see if the chromosomes have been attached to the spindle. Its important because mitosis cannot proceed until this checkpoint has been passed
What class of enzyme brings about the passing of a checkpoint? What do they do?
Kinases - they catalyse the addition of a phosphate group to a protein (phosphorylation). This changes the tertiary structure of checkpoint proteins, activating them at certain points in the cell cycle
What disease is caused by cells dividing uncontrollably?
Cancer
What is the end product of mitosis?
Two genetically identical daughter cells
Is mitosis haploid or diploid?
Diploid
What type of cells does mitosis make?
Somatic (body) cells
Does crossing over occur in mitosis?
No
Reasons for mitosis occuring?
Growth, repair, replacement and asexual reproduction
What are chromatids?
A chromatid is one of two strands of a copied chromosome. Chromatids that are joined together at their centromeres are called sister chromatids. These chromatids are genetically identical. Chromatids are formed in both the cellular division processes of mitosis and meiosis
What are the 4 stages of mitosis?
Prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase
What happens during prophase?
Chromatin condenses into chromosomes, and the nuclear envelope, or membrane, breaks down. In animal cells, the centrioles near the nucleus begin to separate and move (using protein microtubules, which link the poles) to opposite poles (sides) of the cell
What happens during metaphase?
During metaphase, chromosomes are moved by the spindle fibres to form a plane in the centre of the cell, called the metaphase plate, and then held in position
What happens during anaphase?
The centromeres holding together the pairs of chromatids in each chromosome divide during anaphase. The chromosomes are pulled to opposite poles of the cell by the shortening of spindle fibres
What happens during telophase?
In telophase, the chromatids have reached the poles and are now called chromosomes. The two new sets of chromosomes assemble at each pole and the nuclear envelope reforms around them. The chromosomes start to uncoil and the nucleolus is formed
What is a cleavage furrow?
The formation around the middle of a cell during cytokinesis - the cell-surface membrane is pulled inwards by the cytoskeleton until it is close enough to fuse around the middle, forming two cells
Cytokinesis in plants?
Plant cells have cell walls, so its not possible for a cleavage furrow to form. Vesicles from the golgi apparatus begin to assemble the the same place as where the metaphase plate was formed. The vesicles fuse with each other and the cell surface membrane, dividing the cell in two. New sections of the cell wall then form along the new sections of membrane
What is meiosis?
A form of cell division that forms gametes (haploid, therefore is known as a reduction division)
What is a zygote?
A fertilised egg
What are the stages of meiosis?
- Meiosis I: prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I and telophase I
- Meiosis II: prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II and telophase II