Unit 1 AOS 1 Outcome 2 Flashcards
Stem cells, bioethics and the cell cycle
Justice
Commitment to fairness, ensuring no unfair burden on specific people
Reasons why cells replicate in multicellular organisms
- Restore nucleus to cytoplasm ratio
- Growth, repair and development
- Reproduction
Reasons why unicellular organisms replicate
Reproduction
Prokaryotic cell cycle
Replicating cells through binary fission
Binary fission
- Replicate circular DNA chromosome + cell lengthens
- Chromosomes move to either end of the cell
- Cell membrane pinches, splitting the cell in 2
Eukaryotic cell cycle
Replicating cells in 3 main phases:
1. Interphase
2. Mitosis
3. Cytokinesis
Interphase
First part of eukaryotic cell cycle, beginning immediately after cell replication. 3 main phases - G1, S and G2.
G1 phase
First phase of interphase, growing, gaining energy, and metabolic processes
S (synthesis) phase
Second phase of interphase, replicating DNA, ending up with 46 duplicated chromosomes
G2 phase
Third phase of interphase, more growing and energy, preparing for mitosis
Mitosis
Continuous process, dividing the nucleus, comprised of 4 stages - Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase
Prophase
First phase of mitosis where chromosomes condense, spindle fibres connect to centromere of sister chromatids, nucleus breaks down
Metaphase
Second phase of mitosis where spindle fibres line chromosomes in the equator of the cell
Anaphase
Third phase of mitosis where spindle fibres retract, separating sister chromatids to opposite poles of the cell
Telophase
Final phase of mitosis where nucleus begin to reform and cell begins to split into 2 genetically identical daughter cells
Cytokinesis
Final stage of eukaryotic cell cycle, where cytoplasm splits
Centromere
Connecting piece of sister chromatids
Centriole
Structure made of microtubule fibres
Spindle Fibre
Clusters of microtubules that grow from centrioles
Chromatin
DNA wrapped around proteins
Cell cycle checkpoints
Checkpoints in the eukaryotic cell cycle to make sure daughter cells are damage free. The 3 checkpoints are in G1, G2 and Metaphase
G1 checkpoint
First checkpoint, in G1 part of interphase, where DNA is checked by a protein called p53 which is a tumour suppressor
G2 checkpoint
Second checkpoint, in G2 part of interphase, making sure replicated DNA is correct
Metaphase (M) checkpoint
Third and final checkpoint, making sure spindle fibres are connected to the correct sister chromatids, and are align correctly
Tumour suppressor genes
Proteins that signal the cell to reduce cell division, repair DNA or initiate cell death
Proto-onco genes
Genes in the DNA that produce protein that initiate the cell cycle
Apoptosis
Genetically regulated and controlled cell death
Blebs
Protrusions of the cell membrane
Phagocytosis
The process of Phagocytes cleaning apoptopic bodies
p53
A protein that slows cell division or initiate death. A Tumour suppressor gene
Things that begin apoptosis
- Cells at the end of their natural life
- Dysfunctional, diseased, or diseased cells
- Excessive amounts of cells
Apoptosis pathways
Extrinsic pathway
Intrinsic pathway
Intrinsic pathway
Known as the mitochondrial pathway, apoptosis occurs this way when cells are under stress, causing apoptosis to occur through damaged mitochondria
Extrinsic pathway
Known as death receptor pathway, death receptors signal apoptosis to occur
Process of apoptosis
Cells shrink -> blebs form -> apoptopic bodies form -> phagocytes clean apoptopic bodies
Necrosis
Uncontrolled cell death resulting in messy explosions
Deviant cell behaviour
When regulated cell death doesn’t occur as it is meant to, resulting in cell production exceeding cell loss or cell loss exceeding cell production.
Cancer
Uncontrolled cell cycle, excess cell production, cancerous tissue reproduces faster than regulated cell cycle
Psoriosis
Inflamed raised patches of skin, occurs when cells are produced too fast
Neurodegenerative diseases
When cell loss exceeds cell production, conditions such as parkinsons and alzheimers can occur
Stem cells
Unspecialised cells that can divide and renew, and can replenish specialised cells
Self renewal
Stem cells can self renew meaning that by division, specialised cells can be replaced
Cell differentiation
The process of cells becoming specialised
Totipotent Stem cells
Can renew all types of specialised cells including placental tissue
Pluripotent stem cells
Can replace many types of specialised cells, including germ layers
Multipotent stem cells
Can differentiate to closely related specialised cells within a certain family
Unipotent stem cells
Can only produce a singular type of cell but can self renew.