Topic 2 - Cells And Control Flashcards
Interphase:
- The DNA is all spread out in long strings.
- The cell has to grow and increase the amount of sub-cellular structures such as mitochondria and ribosomes.
- It then duplicates its DNA - so there’s one copy for each new cell. The DNA is copied and forms x-shaped chromosomes. Each ‘arm’ of the chromosome is an exact duplicate of the other.
Prophase:
- The chromosomes condense, getting shorter and fatter.
- The membrane around the nucleus breaks down and the chromosomes lie free in the cytoplasm.
Metaphase:
- The chromosomes line up at the centre of the cell.
Anaphase:
- Spindle fibres pull the chromosomes apart.
- Then, the chromatids are pulled to opposite ends of the cell.
Telophase -
- Membranes form around each of the sets of chromosomes.
- These become the nuclei of the two new cells - the nucleus has divided.
Cytokinesis -
- The cytoplasm and cell membrane divide to form two separate cells.
Outcome of mitosis
- Two new genetically identical diploid daughter cells.
Cell Differentiation Definition -
- The process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its job.
How does a cell divide? -
- By Mitosis.
Cell Elongation:
- Where a plant cell expands, making the cell bigger and so making the plant grow.
Stem Cell Definition:
- Undifferentiated cells that can divide by mitosis to become new cells, which then differentiate.
Stem Cells in Embryos:
- Have the potential to divide and produce any kind of cell at all.
What are stem cells important for generally?
- The growth and development of organisms.
Stem Cells in Adults:
- Only found in certain places e.g bone marrow.
- Not as versatile as embryonic stem cells (can’t produce any cell type at all, only certain ones).
What are stem cells used for in adults?
- Replace damaged cells e.g make new skin or blood cells.
Meristems:
- Found in areas of a plant that grow e.g tips of roots, shoots.
- Produce unspecialised cells
- These go on to form specialised tissues like xylem and phloem.
Advantages of Stem Cells:
1) - Adult stem cells used to cure diseases. e.g sickle cell anaemia can be cured with a bone marrow transplant.
2) - Scientists have experimented with extracting stem cells from very early human embryos and growing them. Under certain conditions, the stem cells can be stimulated to differentiate into specialised cells.
3) - Can use stem cells to create specialised cells to replace those which have been damaged by disease or injury e.g new cardiac muscle cells could be transplanted into someone with heart disease.
Disadvantages of Stem Cells -
1) - Rejection: Patient’s body may recognise the cells as foreign and trigger an immune response to try and get rid of them. The patient can take drugs to suppress this response, but this makes them susceptible to diseases.
2) - Stem cells divide very quickly. These cells may form a tumour.
3) - Viruses live inside cells. If donor stem cells cells are infected with a virus and this isn’t picked up, the virus could be passed on to the recipient and so make them sicker.
4) - Ethical issues including that human embryos shouldn’t be used for experiments because each one is a potential human life. Others think that the aim of curing patients who are suffering should be more important than the potential life of the embryos.
Definition of Sensory Receptors -
Groups of cells that can detect a change in your environment
Definition of a stimulus -
A change in the environment
What happens when a stimulus is detected?
1) - It is detected by receptors
2) - And the information is converted to a nervous (electrical) impulse
3) - These are sent along sensory neurones to then CNS (brain + spinal cord).
4) - The CNS sends information to an effector (muscle or gland) along a motor neurone.
5) - The effector then responds accordingly e.g muscle contracts or gland secretes hormone.
What is the CNS
Central Nervous System - Brain and Spinal Cord
What is an effector?
A muscle or gland
What do dendrites and dendrons do?
- Carry nerve impulses towards the body
What do axons do?
- Axons carry nerve impulses away from the body.