Lecture 13 - The Cell Cycle Flashcards
How long does the S phase of the cell cycle take?
10-12 hours
How long does the M phase of the cell cycle take?
Less than 1 hour
What 2 events does the M phase of the cell cycle include? Describe each.
- Mitosis = nuclear division
2. Cytokinesis = cytoplasmic division
What are the 4 phases of the cell cycle?
- G1
- S
- G2
- M
During which phase of the cell cycle does DNA replication occur?
S
How long does the G1 phase of the cell cycle take?
6-12 hours
How long does the G2 phase of the cell cycle take?
3-4 hours
What happens during G1 phase?
RNA and protein synthesis
What happens during the G2 phase?
RNA and protein synthesis
What happens during the S phase?
DNA replication + RNA/protein synthesis
Describe the cells in the G0 phase.
Terminally differentiated cells withdraw from the cell cycle indefinitely in G0
What does the length of all of the cell cycle stages depend on?
Age of the organism and other signals
What is the restriction point?
Check-point of the G1 phase past which it is committed to the S phase
How do a lot of researchers try to affect what phase a cell is in?
Getting G0 phase cells to re-enter the cell cycle to replace damaged or dead cells
What is an example of plasticity of dividing cells?
During the growth of the egg in the ovary, cells are experiencing G phases without dividing and mimicking G2 and then upon fertilization then divide without any G phases (so the cells get progressively smaller with each division, and the embryo remains the same size) to reach a critical mass with a critical number of cells to start differentiation
How can we study the cell cycle? How does this technique work?
Flow cytometer allows separation/purification of cells depending on what phase they are in (eg: amount of DNA they have)
Flow cytometer is used to sort cells according to their fluorescence and cells are stained with a dye that becomes fluorescent when it binds to DNA, so that the amount of fluorescence is directly proportional to the amount of DNA in each cell. The cells fall into three categories:
- Those that have an unreplicated complement of DNA = G1
- Those that have a fully replicated complement of DNA = G2 or M phase
- Those that have an intermediate amount of DNA = S phase
How did researchers study the cell cycle prior to the invention of the flow cytometer?
They would arrest cells in certain phases to identify certain proteins that were expressed during each phase
How can we birthdate cells? What labels are used?
Use pulses of radiolabelling nucleotides during a certain period then you can later assess when certain cells were born
Labels:
- 3H-thymidine
- BrdU-labeling (uridine)
What is the purpose of birthdating cells?
Figuring out their half life
How were we able to do restrospective birthdating of human neurons?
In the 60s we were doing a lot of nuclear testing so the 14C levels in humans were much higher so the levels are directly proportional to the birth of the neurons (aka the age of a person)
What does the amount of 14C in neurons of the human cerebral cortex correspond to? What does this show?
The amount of 14C found in the atmosphere at the time of birth of the individual. This shows that there is minimal turnover of neurons during postnatal and adult life.
What are the 2 models that explain how the cell cycle is regulated? Which one is now widely accepted?
- Dominos model
2. Washing machine model***
Explain the dominos model of cell regulation.
Events in the cell cycle would follow each other: when one phase completes, another begins
Explain the washing machine model of cell regulation.
Central controller that coordinates the events of the cell cycle
What is the central controller of the cell cycle? What does it ensure?
A protein kinase: Cyclin-dependent protein kinase (Cdk)
Ensures certain criteria are met before certain phases are entered
How do cell cycle checkpoints operate? Explain what this means.
Through negative control: the default position is to arrest/not proceed unless certain criteria are met
What does the start checkpoint check? Where is it?
Is the environment favorable?
G1/S
What does the G2/M checkpoint check?
- Is all DNA replicated?
2. Is the environment favorable?
What does the metaphase/anaphase transition check?
Are all chromosomes attached to the spindle?
What are the 3 checkpoints of the cell cycle?
- Start checkpoint
- G2/M checkpoint
- Metaphase/anaphase transition
What is the major checkpoint in yeast?
Start checkpoint
What is another name for the start checkpoint?
G1 checkpoint
What is the major checkpoint in eukaryotes?
G1 checkpoint
What kind of kinase is Cdk?
Ser/Thr protein kinase
What are the 2 roles of the cyclins?
- Activate Cdks or put them in a position where they are ready to be activated
- Direct the Cdks towards specific substrates
Are there multiple types of Cdks in mammals?
YUP
What are the 4 classes of cyclins?
- G1/S cyclins
- S-cyclins
- M-cyclins
- G1-cyclins
What is the role of G1/S-cyclins? When do they bind Cdks?
Activate Cdks in late G1 to help trigger progression through the start checkpoint to commit to cell cycle entry
During what cell cycle phase G1-S-cyclins levels fall? When exactly?
S phase, right at the start
What is the role of S-cyclins? When do they bind Cdks?
Bind Cdks soon after progression through the start checkpoint and help stimulate chromosome duplication and some early mitotic events
During what cell cycle phase S-cyclins levels fall? When exactly
M: metaphase/anaphase transition