The Cell Cycle and Mitosis Flashcards
What is cell theory
- Cells arise only by replication & division of a pre-existing cell
- Cells are the smallests units of life
- All organisms are composed of 1 or more cells
Why is cell division required in multicellular organisms
- During development
- In somatic (adult) tissues, millions of cells need to be replaced every second e.g. injury, replenishing worn out cells etc
Many cells are ‘dormant’ for the majority of their life-span, but must retain proliferative potential and respond to appropriate cues
What happens if this goes wrong
Cancer may develop = a disease of uncontrolled cell division/proliferation
What occurs in the G1 phase
A period of growth - RNA and protein synthesis
They then if called to do so, will enter the G0 phase
This takes around 10hrs
What occurs during the G0 phase
It is considered a resting phase
This is what can affect the length of the cell cycle
What happens in the S phase
Synthesis - DNA replication
Allowing DNA to be replicated from one generation to the next
This takes about 7.5hrs
What happens in the G2 phase
Second growth phase
The DNA is checked just before this phase starts
This takes about 4hrs to occur
What occurs after the G2 phase
The M phase - mitosis phase
This takes about an hour
The whole cell cycle takes how long
Around 24hrs as long as there is all nutrients/proteins etc present for this to happen
Why do cells enter the G0 phase
- because they run out of nutrients or space
If a cell undergoing the cell cycle comes into contact with other cells, it will be triggered to go into the G0 phase, as there is not enough space for it to divide
This creates a sigmoidal curve for cell growth - or because they need to differentiate to allow them to specialise
What is mitosis
- Is the final stage of cell division cell cycle
- Transmission of the genome for one ‘generation to the next’
- prequisites are completion of S-phase synthesis, sufficient growth, and genome intact (no DNA damage)
Anything which is not mitosis is
interphase
In G1 phase the chromosomes are held together via a centromere, they are called the sister chromatids
They remain together until after replication (G2)
When do they full seperate
Mitosis
How are the replicated sister chromatids stuck together
Through cohesin
The movement of chromosomes to the centre of the cell in mitosis is called
Congression
What are the centrosomes
Are where the microtubules are generated
(Known as the spindle poles during mitosis)
It is they cytoskeletal components of the mitotic spindle
What is the centromere
It is the button-like structure at which chromosomes are held together until Anaphase
What is the Kinetochore
Is where the cytoskeleton elements of the microtubules are captured by the chromosomes in order to be moved around the cell
Chromatin condenses around histones to form
Chromosomes
Which contains rightly wound DNA
What can be observed during prophase?
- You can see the chromosomes as spaghetti-like structures
- Chromosomes condense, packing into short rods called chromatids
- Cohesion is lost between the arms of the chromatids, which remain glued together only at the centromere
- The nuclear envelope disintegrates - chromosomes are liberated
- Centrosomes separate to the opposite sides of the nucleus and nucleate microtubules, with Eg5 responsible (Kinesin)
What is the motorprotein responsible for allowing the chromosomes to seperate during prophase
Eg5 (its a type of kinesin 5 proteins)
It binds to one microtubule and uses the other microtububle as cargo
Allowing the sliding apart of the microtubules