Cell Cycle and Mitosis Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the cell cycle, phases of mitosis, cell structures, and key genetic concepts from the lecture notes.

Cell Cycle

A series of events that take place in a cell to produce new cells for growth, replacement, and repair.

$G_1$ Phase

The first growth phase of the cell cycle where the cell produces new proteins, grows, and carries out its normal functions until DNA replication begins.

$S$ Phase

The synthesis phase of the cell cycle during which DNA replication is completed and the cell's DNA is copied.

$G_2$ Phase

The second growth phase of the cell cycle that involves preparation for cell division, including the doubling of centrioles.

$M$ Phase

The mitotic phase of the cell cycle in which the cell divides into two identical daughter cells.

Mitosis

The process of cell division where a parent cell reproduces new daughter cells that contain the same genetic information as the starting cell.

Somatic Cells

Body cells that are not reproductive cells, in which mitosis occurs.

Interphase

The stage of the cell cycle when the cell is not dividing, during which normal cell functions occur and DNA is replicated.

Prophase

The first stage of mitosis where chromatin tightly coils into visible chromosomes, centrioles move to opposite poles, spindle fibres form, and the nucleolus and nuclear membrane break down.

Spindle Fibres

A network of microtubule fibres that form from centrioles during mitosis to assist in separating chromosomes.

Centromere

The central region on a chromosome where two sister chromatids are held together and where spindle fibres attach.

Metaphase

The stage of mitosis where chromosomes line up along the equator (middle) of the cell attached to spindle fibres at their centromeres.

Anaphase

The stage of mitosis where sister chromatids separate at the centromere and are pulled away toward opposite poles of the cell by spindle fibres.

Telophase

The final stage of mitosis where chromosomes gather at opposite poles, nuclear membranes and nucleoli re-form, spindle fibres disappear, and chromosomes uncoil into chromatin.

Cytokinesis

The process of dividing the cytoplasm of a cell into two distinct daughter cells, each containing a nucleus.

Cleavage Furrow

An indentation created by a contractile ring in the cytoplasm during cytokinesis that deepens until the cell is pinched into two parts.

Gene

A section of DNA located in the cell nucleus that codes for a specific protein.

Chromosome

A condensed structure of DNA located in the cell nucleus that carries many genes; human somatic cells contain 23 pairs (46 total).