Topic 2 - C Flashcards
What is Mitosis?
The production of 2 genetically identical daughter cells by cell division
What is Mitosis used for?
- growth and repair
- asexual reproduction
Explain what happens in the G1 phase?
- normal cell activity and growth phase
- mRNA and proteins prepare the cell for division
- controlled by Cyclin and Cyclin-dependant Kinase which promotes DNA replication
What happens in G1 is DNA damage is detected?
Apoptosis - programmed cell death
Describe what is the restriction point in G1?
The cell is ready for division and moves to S phase.
Describe what happens in S phase?
DNA synthesis replicates the genetic material so each chromosome now consists of two sister chromatids
Describe what happens in G2 phase?
- cells continue to grow and produce new proteins
- another checkpoint to check if DNA is damaged, if so transition to mitosis is delayed
- p53 protein is important in prevention of cancer
Describe the process of prophase?
- nuclear membrane breaks down and nucleolus disintegrates
- chromosome condense and now are visible
- centrosome duplicate and move to opposite ends (poles) of cell and form spindle fibres
Describe the process of metaphase?
- chromosomes line themselves in the middle of the cell
- attached to the spindle fibres by their centromere
Describe the process of anaphase?
- centromere divides
- sister chromatids are pulled apart by spindle fibres and move to opposite ends of the cell
Describe the process of telophase?
- nuclear membrane reforms around the chromosomes grouped at either poles of the cell
Describe the process of cytokinesis?
- cytoplasm divides and there are now 2 genetically identical daughter cells
What causes cancer?
- loss of cell cycle control
- uncontrollable cell division
Explain controlled cell division?
- differentiation is when you are able to stop dividing
- programmed cell death - APOPTOSIS
Explain control mechanisms break down?
- if enough nutrients are supplies then uncontrollable cell division, tumour (mass of cancer cells)
Which mutated protein can cause cancer?
- p53 protein (which checks for damaged DNA in G2) is mutated and can’t control cell division
- proto-oncogenes go into overdrive
What are oncogenes?
- genes which stimulate cell division (growth factors and cell cycle regulation)
What are tumour suppressor genes?
- genes that prevent tumour formation by repairing damaged DNA and regulating cell division to promote apoptosis
What are some causes of cancer?
environmental, genetic
- mutations passed on from parents
- somatic, happens after fertilisation
- environmental factors (smoking)
- viruses (HPV)
Briefly go over the cell cycle?
G1 - pre-replication gap - cell gets bigger
S - synthesis of DNA
G2 - pre-mitotic gap - cell replicates organelles
M - mitosis
Describe the process of binary fission?
- DNA replication
- Cell elongation
- Septum formation
- Cell separation - each daughter cell receives 1 chromosomes and a variable number of plasmid
Why don’t viruses undergo mitosis?
Viruses are non-living which means they inject nucleic acid into infected host cell and replicate
Explain what benign tumours are?
- they are localised (one place) tumours which may compress onto functional tissue but don’t spread
- they can be removed by surgery of destroyed by radiation
Explain what malignant tumours are?
- they can travel in your body and cause other tumours, METASTASIS
- more difficult to treat
- chemotherapy and radiotherapy used to specifically target and kill rapidly dividing cells
Difference between benign and malignant tumours?
Benign Malignant
Slower growth rate Faster growth rate
Well-differentiated cells De-differentiated cells
Cell produce a capsule made Tumour not in capsule
of dense tissue No adhesion - metastasis
Cell produce adhesion molecules
What are the treatments for cancer?
There is no single treatment but most work by stopping DNA replication and mitosi.
Adriamycin + Cytoxan - stop DNA unwinding
Methotrexate - stop cells making DNA nucelotides
Taxol + Vincristine - inhibit spindle fibres
What are non-specific defence mechanisms?
- physical barriers
- phagocytosis
What are specific defence mechanisms?
- cell mediated T lymphocytes
- humoural response - B lymphocytes