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Genes and Disease > Week 1 - Mitosis and the Cell Cycle > Flashcards

Week 1 - Mitosis and the Cell Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two types of cell division, and what are they?

A

Mitosis - results in two identical daughter cells

Meiosis - results in four haploid cells

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2
Q

What are the key roles of cell division?

A
  1. Reproduction
  2. Growth and Development
  3. Tissue Renewal
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3
Q

What can uncontrolled cell division lead to?

A

Tumours

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4
Q

What is the difference between the terms chromatin, chromosome, heterochromatic, euchromatin, and chromatid

A

Chromatin = a complex of DNA and protein that condenses during cell division

Chromosome = molecules of DNA

Heterochromatin = chromatin that is condensed and not transcriptionally active

Euchromatin = chromatin that is less condensed and is transcriptionally active

Chromatid = each copy of a replicated chromosome.

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5
Q

What is a genome?

A

All genetic material in a cell

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6
Q

What is a centromere?

A

The constriction or link between sister chromatids

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7
Q

What is a kinetochore?

A

A specialised protein structure involved in cell division

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8
Q

What are telomeres?

A

The end regions of a eukaryotic chromosome with characteristic telomeric sequences

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9
Q

What are the two arms of a chromosome called, and what distinguishes them?

A 
P arm (usually the short arm)
Q arm (usually the longer arm)
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10
Q

What is telomerase?

A

An enzyme that protects telomeres from shortening

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11
Q

How many chromosomes and pairs of chromosomes does a human have?

A

46 chromosomes and 23 pairs (22 chromosome pairs and one sex chromosome pair)

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12
Q

How many chromosomes do human gamete cells have?

A

23

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13
Q

How many chromosomes do human somatic cells have?

A

46

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14
Q

What are the two main phases of the cell cycle, and what occurs during each?

A

Interphase - cell grows, carries out normal functions and copies its chromosomes ready for cell division.

Mitotic Phase - The cell undergoes cell division where DNA is compacted and genes are inactive.

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15
Q

What are the three subphases of interphase?

A 
G1 = Normal cell functions
S1  = When a cell copies its chromosomes
G2 = When the cell has twice as much DNA
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16
Q

What is the basic role of the mitotic spindle?

A

Controls chromosome movement during mitosis

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17
Q

What occurs during prometaphase?

A

Some spindle microtubules attach to the kinetochores of chromosomes and begin to move the chromosomes.

18
Q

What are the two types of microtubules called, and what’s the difference?

A

Kinetochore microtubules attach to the kinetochore, while nonkinetochore microtubules do not.

19
Q

What are kinetochores?

A

Protein complexes associated with centromeres

20
Q

What occurs during metaphase?

A

All chromosomes are lined up at the metaphase place, an imaginary structure at the midway point between the spindle’s two poles.

21
Q

What occurs during anaphase?

A

Sister chromatids separate, microtubules shorten by depolymerising at their kinetochore ends, and nonkinetochore microtubules from opposite poles overlap and push against each other, elongating the cell.

22
Q

What occurs during telophase?

A

Genetically identical daughter nuclei form at the opposite ends of the cell.

23
Q

At what point does the process of cytokinesis begin?

A

During anaphase or telophase,

24
Q

What is cytokinesis?

A

The physical separation of one cell into two daughter cells

25
Q

How is cytokinesis different in plant vs animal cells?

A

In animal cells, a contractile ring forms around the cell membrane, which then pinches the cell, separating it into two daughter cells.

In plant cells, a cell plate forms in the centre of the cell, eventually forming a cell wall, which divides the cell into two daughter cells.

26
Q

How do prokaryotes reproduce?

A

By a process called binary fission.

27
Q

Explain the process of binary fission

A

The DNA ring replicates two forms of two identical DNA rings, which then move to opposite sides of the cell. Then the cell divides into two daughter cells.

28
Q

What came first, mitosis or binary fission?

A

Mitosis is thought to be the evolved version of binary fission.

29
Q

What three cell cycle checkpoints and criteria must be true for the cycle to progress to the next stage?

A

G1 – Cell size is adequate, nutrients are sufficient, social signals are present, DNA is undamaged

G2 – Chromosomes have replicated successfully, DNA is undamaged, activated MPF is present

M – All chromosomes are attached to the spindle apparatus.

30
Q

What is MPF and what is its function?

A

MPF (Mitosis-promoting Factor), also known as maturation promoting factor, is a protein kinase that drives the cell cycle

31
Q

How does MPF activate?

A

MPF is made of the cyclin-dependant kinase (Cdk) that is active only when bound to the cyclin subunit

32
Q

What is a kinase?

A

An enzyme that transfers phosphate groups to product energy

33
Q

What are two types of physical signals that can control mitosis, and how do they function?

A

Anchorage dependence – where cells anchor to a surface and divide

Density-dependent inhibition – where cells cover a certain area, they stop dividing.

34
Q

What is the process whereby a normal cell is turned into a cancerous cell?

A

Transformation

35
Q

What is the difference between a tumour and cancer?

A

Tumours may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Malignant tumours can spread to surrounding tissue.
Benign tumours remain localised

36
Q

What is the difference between benign, malignant, and metastatic tumours?

A

Benign tumours remain in a single location.

Malignant tumours spread to surrounding tissue and can metastasize.

Metastatic tumours spread from a malignant tumour and spread to another part of the body.

37
Q

List 6 possible characteristics of cancer cells

A

May have an unusual chromosome number.

No need for growth factors to grow/divide

May engage in angiogenesis (creation of new blood vessels)

No density-dependent inhibition of anchorage dependence

Loose attachment to nearby cells

Rapidly dividing

38
Q

Is cancer a genetic disease? Why/why not?

A

Cancer is considered a genetic disease as it arises from a mutation in the cell cycle control system.

39
Q

What is HER2+?

A

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 is a protein that is found in patients in about 20% of breast cancer cases.

40
Q

How does chemotherapy work? Why are there so many side effects?

A

It targets and is toxic to cells that are rapidly dividing.

This means it can affect cancer cells but also affects other cells that are rapidly dividing, e.g. hair cells.

Genes and Disease (4 decks)

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