Reproduction Flashcards
What are diploids cells?
Autosomal cells that contains 2 copies of each chromosome
What are haploids cells?
Contains 1 copy of each chromosome
How many chromosomes a human has?
46, 23 from each parents
What are the 4 stages of cell cycle?
G1, S, G2 and M. (G1, S and G2 are called the interphase)
What is the interphase?
The phases of G1, S and G2 combined
Where are cells who do not divide?
In an offshoot go G1, called G0
What are cells doing in G0?
Carrying out their functions without any preparation for division
During the interphase, how are DNA stored as?
Chromatin, a less condensed form of genetic material
Why is the DNA stored as chromatin during interphase?
So the DNA is available for RNA polymerase to transcript genes
During mitosis, how is DNA stored are? Why?
Tightly coiled chromosomes
So that no genetic material is lost during cell division
What is happening in the first stage of interphase?
G1, cells create organelles for energy and protein production (mitochondria, ribosomes and endoplasmic retinaculum), while also increasing their size
What is the other name for G1
Presynthetic gap
What can one pass into the S (synthesis) phase?
By meeting certain criteria which is governed by the restriction point
What is the restriction point?
The point where cells must meet criteria to pass from G1 to S
What happens in the S phase?
Replication of genetic material, so the 2 daughter cells receive identical copies.
End result: each chromosome has 2 identical chromatids bound together by centromeres
What is the ratio of DNA from cells in G1 to G2
G2 cells has twice DNA as G1 cells
Does the ploidy of the cell changes after the replication of the genetic material?
No, even if a human would have 92 chromatids, there are still 46 chromosomes
What is the other name for G2 stage?
Postsynthetic gap
What happens in G2 stage?
The cell undergo another quality control checkpoint.
Make sure there is enough organelles and cytoplasm for 2 cells.
Also checks if the DNA has been replicated correctly
What is the M phase?
Mitosis and cytokinesis
What are the stages of mitosis?
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase and Telophase
What is cytokinesis?
The splitting of the cytoplasm and the organelles between the 2 daughter cells
What is the main protein in control of the control of the cell cycle specifically at both checkpoints?
p53
What happens if the cells doesn’t undergo the criteria at the restriction point?
The cell cycle goes into arrest until the DNA has been prepared
What are the molecules responsible for the cell cycle?
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK)
How can CDK be activated?
With the presence of the right cyclins
What happens to the concentration of cyclins during the cell cycle?
It increases and decreases during specific stages
What happens when the right cyclins bind to CDK?
It creates an activated CDK-cyclin complex, which then phosphorylate transcription factors
What transcription factors do once phosphorylate?
Promotes transcription of genes requires for the next stage of the cell cycle
What is the link between cell cycle control and cancer?
When cell cycle is deranged, damaged cell can undergo mitosis
What is the most common mutation found in cancer?
Mutation of the TP53, the gene that produce p53. The cell cycle is not stopped when the DNA is damages, so the mutations accumulate
What is the definition of the process of a tumor?
When a cell undergo rapid cell division
How can a tutor reach other tissue?
If the cell begins to produce the right factors (such as proteases that can digest basement membranes of factors that encourage blood vessel formation)
What is the definition of a metastasis?
When the cancerous cells can invade and spread through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system
In which type of cells do mitosis occurs?
Cells that are not involved in sexual reproduction
What are cells that are not involved in sexual reproduction called?
Somatic cells
What happens during the prophase?
The chromatin is condensed into chromosomes.
The centrioles separate and move towards opposites poles of the cell.
After migration, they will start to form spindle fibers (made of microtubule)
The nuclear membrane dissolves
What are spindle fibers made of?
Microtubules
What are asters?
A formation of microtubules that anchor the centriole to the cell membrane
Why does the nuclear membrane dissolves in the prophase?
In order for the spindle fibers to reach the chromosomes
What happens to the nucleoli in the prophase?
In becomes less distinct and sometimes may disappear completely
What are kinetochores?
Protein structures located on the centromere that serve as attachment point for specific fibers of the spindle apparatus (kinetochores fibers)
How many centrioles is there in a centrosome?
2
What is responsible for proper movement of the chromosomes during mitosis?
Centrioles
What happens in metaphase?
The kinetochores fibers interact with the fibers of the spindle apparatus to align the chromosomes at the metaphase plate (equatorial plate)
What is the metaphase plate? And what other name could it have?
The equatorial plate
Is the lign where it is equidistant from the 2 poles of the cell
What happens in anaphase?
Each centromere split allowing for 2 sister chromatids to separate from each chromosome.
They are then pulled towards opposite poles of the cells by the shortening of the kinetochores fibers
What makes the cells pulled towards opposite poles during mitosis?
The shortening of the kinetochores fibers
What happens in telophase?
It’s like the reverse of prophase:
Spindle apparatus disappears
Nuclear membrane reformes around each of the chromosomes
Nucleoli reappear
What happens during cytokinesis?
Separation of cytoplasm and organelles in order for each daughter cell to have enough material to survive on its own
In which cells do meiosis occurs?
Gametocytes (germ cells)
What is the result of mitosis?
2 identical daughter cells
What is the result of meiosis?
4 non-identical sex cells
What is the main difference in the process of mitosis and meiosis?
Meiosis needs 2 rounds of divisions
What are the 2 rounds of divisions in meiosis?
The first one (Meiosis 1) creates 2 haploid cells by the separation of homologous chromosomes.
The second one (Meiosis 2) creates 2 cells out of each haploid cells without a change in ploidy
What type of division is Meiosis 1?
Reductional division, because there is a change in ploidy (from diploid to haploid cells)
What type of division is Meiosis 2?
Equational division, because there is no. change in ploidy
What happens in Prophase 1? (similarly and differently from prophase in mitosis)
Similarly: Chromatin condensed into chromosomes, the nuclear membrane disappears, the spindle apparatus forms
Differences: Synapsis and crossing over
What is the synapsis?
When 2 homologous chromosomes comes together and forms a tetrad in which homologous chromosomes are held together by a group of proteins (synaptonemal complex) and where it can form a chiasma and process in a crossing over
What is the name of the group of proteins that holds together the tetrad?
Synaptonemal complex
What is the chiasma?
The point of contact of 2 homologous chromosomes, where they can exchange equivalent pieces of DNA