Chapter 6- Cell Division, Diversity And Organisation Flashcards
Where do all the cells in a multicellular organism originate from?
Either by asexual reproduction or from a zygote formed by the fertilisation of a female gamete by a male gamete.
The purpose of mitosis
A type of nuclear division that occurs when new cells are required for growth, repair of tissues or asexual reproduction.
Purpose of meiosis
The formation of gametes
Cell cycle definition
The cycle of division, growth and maturity and then another division is called cell cycle.
The relation of specialised cells and the time for the cell cycle to complete once
More specialised the cells are, the longer its cell cycle
Certain highly specialised cells (eg. muscle and nerve cells) lose their power to divide altogether.
Mammalian red blood cells are also incapable of dividing, because they lose their nucleus during the course of development.
Embryo cells’ duration of cell cycle
8-60 minutes
Yeast cells’ duration of cell cycle
1.5 to 3 hours
Intestinal epithelial cells’ duration of cell cycle
About 12 hours
Bone marrow cells’ duration of cell cycle
About 18 hours
Stomach epithelial cells’ duration of cell cycle
About 24 hours
Hepatocytes (liver cells)’ duration of cell cycle
About 1 year
What is the first step following division
Enters the first growth phase (G1) on interphase
During this period, the cell components (apart from the chromosomes) are replicated.
What is the next stage of the cell cycle after G1
This is the synthesis stage where the DNA is replicated.
Synthesis is part of the interphase.
What follows after the synthesis stage
Second growth phase (G2)
During this stage the cells are prepared for division
The DNA is checked for errors by a suite of enzymes with specific proof-reading and repair functions. If any are detected, the cell may destroy itself to prevent passing on mutations.
Plus, the DNA starts to coil tightly, to become visible as chromosomes at the beginning of mitosis
What follows after the G2 phase of the cell cycle
Mitosis and cell division and then cytokinesis (division of cytoplasm)
Definition of cytokinesis
The division of cytoplasm after nuclear division
definition of checkpoints in a cell cycle
There are four points in the cell cycle, known as checkpoints, where these checks take place.
What is the first checkpoint in a cell cycle
- In the G1 stage, the chromosomes are checked for damage. If the damage is detected, the cell does not proceed into the S phase. It does not proceed to the next stage, until the DNA is repaired.
What is the second checkpoint in a cell cycle
During the S phase, a check is made that all the chromosomes have replicated. If they have not, the cel cycle is stopped.
What is the third checkpoint of the cell cycle
During the G2 phase, another check is made for DNA damage that may have occurred during replication. Once again, the cell maybe delayed to repair the DNA.
What is the final checkpoint in a cell cycle
This occurs during the metaphase. This check identifies whether the chromosomes have correctly attached to the spindle fibres before anaphase proceeds.
How does mitosis generally work
The new cells require a full set of chromosomes, and so those in the original or mother cell must duplicate in order to give the two sets that are needed.
The whole process is continuous, it does not pause at any stage
Prophase of mitosis
By the end of the prophase, the chromosomes have become visible, the nucleolus has disappeared and the nuclear membrane has broken down.
At the G2 phase, the chromosomes begin to appear however by the end of prophase becomes completely visible. This is because it supercoils.
What is supercoiling
The twisting of the DNA around its own axis, winding the helix more tightly.
How does the DNA look like during the S phase
During the S phase the single strands of tightly wound DNA, CHROMATIDS, link with another CHROMATID to form a CHROMOSOME. These chromatids are held together at a single point known as CENTROMERE.
How do spindle fibres form
Centrosomes (each consisting of a pair of centrioles, duplicated, like the DNA during interphase) move to opposite ends of the cells called poles. These send out microtubules to form a spindle, which forms a framework that guides the chromatids to the opposite poles.
Occurs in prophase