Unit 4, cell communication and cell cycle

Anaphase

The stage of mitosis where sister chromatids are pulled apart to opposite poles of the cell, ensuring each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes.

Apoptosis

the process of programmed cell death that helps maintain homeostasis by eliminating damaged or unnecessary cells.

Chromatin

The material that makes up chromosomes, consisting of DNA and protein, which condenses to form visible chromosomes during cell division.

Chromosomes

Structures within cells that contain genetic information in the form of DNA, and are made up of chromatin that condenses during cell division.

Cyclin-dependent kinases

Enzymes that regulate the cell cycle by phosphorylating target proteins in response to cyclins. C

Cyclins

Proteins that regulate the cell cycle by activating cyclin-dependent kinases, ensuring proper progression through different phases.

Cytokinesis

The process where the cytoplasm of a parental cell is divided into two daughter cells, following mitosis or meiosis.

Hormones

Chemical messengers that coordinate various physiological processes in the body by transmitting signals between cells.

Interphase

The stage of the cell cycle during which the cell prepares for division by replicating its DNA and producing proteins, occurring before mitosis and cytokinesis.

Ligands

Molecules that bind to cell receptors and initiate a cellular response.

Metaphase

is the stage of mitosis where chromosomes line up at the cell's equator, ensuring proper segregation during cell division.

Mitosis

the process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, including phases such as prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

negative feedback

A regulatory mechanism in biological systems where a change in a variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, maintaining homeostasis.

Phosphorylation cascade

is a series of biochemical events in which a signal molecule activates one protein kinase, which then activates another, leading to a cellular response.

Positive feedback

is a regulatory mechanism that amplifies a change in a variable, encouraging further change and often leading to a specific outcome, such as in childbirth or blood clotting.