Mitosis and meiosis Flashcards
What is the function of mitosis?
- Growth
- Replacement of dead cells
What are the 2 main phases of mitosis?
- Mitotic (M)
- Interphase
What are the phases of interphase?
- 1st gap or growth phase (G1)
- Synthesis (S)
- Second gap or growth phase (G2)
What are the functions of the mitotic and interphase phases?
- Mitotic: true cell division phase
- Interphase: preparation for next cell division event
What is the G0 phase?
- Between M and G1 phases
- Cells are dormant/quiescent
- Not dividing or doing anything else
Which chromosomes are involved in mitosis?
- All chromosomes
- Make 2 homologous copies of each chromosome
Describe what happens in the G1 phase
- First part of interphase
- Normal cell activities
- Increase in cell organells
- Doubling of cell size
Describe what happens in the S phase
- Synthesis
- DNA synthesis
- 2 copies of each chromosome (sister chromatids) are available
- Linked at centromere
- Centrioles replicate
What is the function of the centrioles?
- Part of cytoskeleton apparatus
- Pull chromosome halves to each end
Describe what happens in the G2 phase
- Cell grows in size
- Each cell now has 2 pairs of centrioles
- Mitotic phase starts again
What are the stages within the M phase of mitosis?
- Prophase
- Metaphase
- Anaphase
- Telophase
What happens in prophase?
- Chromatin condenses, distinct chromosomes form
- Each chromosome visible as 2 sister chromatids, joined by centromere
- Nucleolus shrinks and disappears
- Cytoplasmic microtubules of cytoskeleton disassemble then reasseble to form spindle
- One pair of centrioles migrates to each pole of the spindle
- Nuclear membrane disappears
Describe metaphase
- Chromoseoms arrange on equator of spindle
- Homologous chromosomes do not associate
- Ensures daughter cell gets exact copy of parent cell’s DNA
In what phase can we see cell diving in tissue?
Metaphase
Describe anaphase
- Chromatids separate
- Chromatids migrate, led by centromeres, to opposite poles of cell
- Eventually reach poles to make 2 daughter chromosomes
Describe telophase
- Chromosomes unravel
- Nuclear membranes reform
- Nucleoli reform
- Encase in one cell membrane at this point
Describe cytokinesis
- Cleavage furrow forms and deepens until cytoplasm is halved
- Ring of actin filaments attached to inner aspect of cell membrane
Why is there need for control over the cell cycle?
To ensure events are properly times and in correct order
In terms of individual cells, why is it necessary to have control over the cell cycle?
- Damaged DNA must not be replicated
- DNA replication must be complete and just once per cell cycle
- Chromosomes must be positioned on spindle correctly
- Phases of cycle must be synchronous
In terms of the whole animal, why is it necessary to have control over the cell cycle?
- Cell division in tissue/animal coordinated by intercellular signals according to requirements of animal
- E.g. proliferation of lymphocytes in infection or over-proliferation in cancer
What are the 2 levels of control of the cell cycle?
- Intercellular
- Intracellular
What are the points of intracellular control of the cell cycle? What do these require?
- Check points at end of G1, G2 and M phases
- Cyclin dependent protein kinases (Cdks) and cyclins
What is the first checkpoint and what would cause the cell cycle to arrest here?
- G1 to S
- If no mitogenic signal received or if DNA is damaged
- If no mitgenic signal is received but there is no DNA damage, enters G0
What is the second checkpoint and what would cause the cell cycle to arrest here?
- G2 to M
- Arrested if DNA damaged or incompletely duplicated
What is the third checkpoint and what would cause the cell cycle to arrest here?
- M to G1
- Arrested if chromatids are not properly attached to spindle fibres
What happens if the DNA is incorrect?
Apoptosis
Describe Cdks in intracellular control of mitosis
- Cyclin dependent protein kinases
- Activities rise and fall as cell progrgesses through different phases
- Acts as chekpoints
- Cyclical changes in Cdks regulated by cyclins
- Needs to be phosphrylaed to be activated
What does the nature of action of Cdks depend on?
The cyclin protein
What leads to the waves in activity of cyclin through each phase of the cell cycle?
- At start, cyclin genes activated
- Failure of this results in cessation of cycle
- Cyclin proteins destroyed by proteasomes
- Genes encoding cyclins for next cycle are upregulated and expressed
How is Cdks activity regulated?
- Cyclins bind to Cdks (different types of each of these)
- Attachment of ubiquitin molecules to cyclin (bound to the Cdk)
- Once tail of ubiquitin, goes to proteasome complex in cell and protein degraded
Describe the fine regulation of Cdk
- Can phosphorylate active Cdk further
- Makes inactive
- Can switch between active and inactive
- can also control activity through binding of cell cycle inhibitors
What are the extracellular (intercellular) factors that control cell division, growth and apoptosis?
- Mitogens/growth factors (stimulate cell growth)
- Surival factors (inhibit apoptosis and promote cell survival)
What are growth factors?
- Signalling molecules
- Originate from neighbouring cells
What is the function of growth factors?
- Activate pathways which control genes
- Mitogenic
- Maintain correct cell numbers in an organ/system
How do growth factors carry out their function?
- Stimulate cells to enter G1 from G0
- Activate RTKs, Ras and MAPK pathway
- Results in activation of Myc
- Myc increases expression of G1 cyclin kinases: stimulation of DNA synthesis
What signalling cascade do most growh factors use?
MAPK