Topic 2 - Cells And Control Flashcards
What is the cell cycle ?
the series of events involved in cell growth and cell division
What is mitosis ?
(a type of cell division), which allows for the growth, repair and asexual reproduction of cells.
What steps does the cell cycle involve ?
Interphase
Mitosis
Cytokinesis
What happens during interphase ?
This is the initial growth phase. Extra ribosomes, mitochondria and other sub-cellular structures are produced.
The cell’s chromosomes (which are made of DNA) are replicated (copied) so that there are two sets of the cell’s chromosomes.
What happens during mitosis ?
The two sets of chromosomes are pulled to opposite ends of the cell.
Then, the nucleus divides into two.
What happens during Cytokinesis ?
The cytoplasm and cell membranes divide to create two identical diploids (with two sets of chromosomes) cells.
How can we use microscopy to study the cell cycle?
Microscopes allow us to see things we can’t with the naked eye.
By culturing cells and then viewing them at a high resolution under a microscope, we can identify different cells in different stages of the cell cycle.
What are the steps of mitosis ?
Prophase
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
What happens during prophase ?
Chromosomes condense (coil-up tightly).
What happens during metaphase ?
Chromosomes line-up along the middle of the cell
What happens during anaphase ?
The two sets of chromosomes are pulled to opposite ends of the cell.
What happens during telophase ?
The nucleus splits and two new nuclei (plural of nucleus) form.
What does mitosis ensure ?
Mitosis ensures that both daughter cells have the same chromosomes as each other and the parent cell.
This is important for processes that require identical cells to be produced.
For example, the growth and repair of tissues and asexual reproduction.
What is cancer ?
Cancer is a group of diseases, where changes in cells lead to uncontrolled growth and division of cells.
What are the two types of tumours that are a result of cancer ?
malignant
benign (harmless).
How do Benign tumours work ?
Benign tumours stay in a specific part of the body, often within a membrane.
How do Malignant tumours work ?
Malignant tumours can invade neighbouring tissues and spread throughout the body in the blood, leading to the creation of more secondary tumours
What does mitosis produce ?
two identical diploid cells
What is growth ?
Growth is an increase in the size or number of cells (by mitosis)
What does growth do to organisms ?
This causes an organism to get bigger
In plants, the stages of growth happen in what three different regions ?
Zone of cell division
Zone of elongation
Zone of differentiation
Where is the zone of cell division ?
This zone is near the tip of a root.
What happens in the zone of cell division ?
Cells divide by mitosis and new cells are created
Where is the zone of elongation?
This zone is further up the root, next to the zone of cell division.
What happens in the zone of elongation?
Here, the new cells grow in size
Where is the zone of differentiation ?
This zone is even further up the root, next to the zone of elongation.
What happens in the zone of differentiation ?
This is where the new cells differentiate (specialise into different types of cells).
What type of cell division occurs in the zone of cell division in plants?
Mitosis
If a baby is in the 95th percentile of weight, how many babies of the same age are the same weight or heavier?
5%
Which zone is nearest the tip of the root?
Zone of cell division
What is Cell differentiation ?
Cell differentiation is the process where a cell develops new sub-cellular structures (structures inside a cell) to let it perform a specific function
When cell differentiation happens what is said to happen to the cell ?
The cell becomes specialised
Why does cell differentiation happen in embryos ?
Cell differentiation happens during an organism’s development.
Organisms start as one cell.
These cells divide to form embryos that differentiate (specialise) to produce cells that can perform all of the body’s functions.
Why does cell differentiation happen in plants ?
Many plant cells keep their ability to differentiate throughout their life.
Because of this, plants are always able to create new tissues (matter that animals and plants are made from).
Why does cell differentiation happen in animals ?
Cell differentiation is rare in mature (adult) animals.
Their cells mostly divide (one cell splits to create two cells) in order to replace cells and repair tissues.
New tissues are rarely created.
When do most animal cells differentiate ?
Most animal cells differentiate early on in their development
In mature animals why do cells divide ?
cells mostly divide (one cell splits to create two cells) to replace cells and repair tissues
When do plants differentiate?
Keep their ability to differentiate throughout their life.
Are always able to create new tissues.
What are stem cells ?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have not yet specialised to perform a specific function
Where are stem cells found ?
Plant meristems
Embryos
Bone marrow
Where are plant stem cells found ?
Plant stem cells are found in the meristem tissue
What do plant stem cells differentiate into ?
into all types of plant cell throughout the life of the plant.
This allows plants to grow for their whole lives.
What do stem cells differentiate into ?
The stem cells in embryos can differentiate into most cell types, to produce all of the cell types that will make up the organism
In human adults where are stem cells found ?
In human adults, stem cells can be found in bone marrow (as well as other tissues and organs).
What are adult stem cells used for ?
Adult stem cells differentiate into fewer cell types than stem cells in embryos.
They are used to replace dying cells and damaged tissues.
In the medical field what are stem cells used for ?
Stem cell treatments
Therapeutic cloning
What does stem cell treatment do ?
Stem cells may be able to replace damaged cells in the body
When are stem cell treatments used ?
For example, stem cells may replace the damaged cells that cause diabetes or paralysis.
They can also be used to treat patients with burn injuries, arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.
What is therapeutic cloning ?
Therapeutic cloning is a process that produces (creates) an embryo with the same genes as the patient.
How does therapeutic cloning work ?
Stem cells taken from this embryo will have the same DNA as the patient. This means that the patient’s body will not reject the stem cells or body cells made from the embryo’s stem cells.
This is ideal for use in stem cell medical treatments
What are the disadvantages of stem cells in medical treatment ?
Viral infections
Ethical beliefs
Rejection
How are viral infections a disadvantage of stem cells ?
Stem cell transplantation could transfer viral infections
How are ethical beliefs a disadvantage of stem cells ?
Some people disagree with the use of stem cells on ethical or religious grounds:
They believe that life begins at conception, which means that the embryo is alive.
They, therefore, view the use of embryonic stem cells as ‘killing’ an embryo.
How are rejections disadvantage of stem cells ?
As with other organ transplants, introducing stem cells into a patient could cause the patient’s immune system to reject and destroy the new cells.
What is the role the nervous system ?
The nervous system protects organisms from harm by responding to changes in the environment.
How does the nervous system protect organisms from harm ?
It does this by coordinating communication between different parts of organisms
What is the nervous system made up of ?
The brain
The spinal cord
The neurones (nerve cells)