LECTURE 23 : Cell Cycle and Division and MPF

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to the cell cycle and cell division.

Cell Cycle

The ordered sequence of events in the life of a eukaryotic cell from its origin until its division, including interphase and mitotic phase.

Interphase

The period in the eukaryotic cell cycle between cell divisions, consisting of the G1, S, and G2 phases.

Cytokinesis

The physical process of cell division that follows mitosis or meiosis, dividing the cytoplasm into two daughter cells.

Cyclin-dependent Kinase (Cdk)

A family of protein kinases that control the progression of the cell cycle and require binding to regulatory proteins called cyclins.

Cyclin

Regulatory proteins whose concentration fluctuates throughout the cell cycle, activating cyclin-dependent kinases.

Binary Fission

The primary method of cell division in bacteria, resulting in two genetically identical daughter cells.

G1 Phase

The first phase of interphase characterized by cell growth and metabolic activity before DNA replication.

G2 Phase

The third phase of interphase following DNA replication, involving further growth and preparation for mitosis.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional product, such as a protein.

Growth Factors

External signaling molecules that promote cell growth and division in eukaryotic cells.

M Phase (Mitotic Phase)

The phase of the cell cycle during which the nucleus divides and the cytoplasm divides (cytokinesis) occurs.

Maturation Promoting Factor (MPF)

A protein complex that triggers the transition from G2 phase to M phase in eukaryotic cells.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that results in four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.

Mitosis

A type of cell division that results in two daughter cells with the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Oocyte

A female germ cell involved in reproduction, which undergoes meiosis to produce eggs.

Phosphorylation

The addition of a phosphate group to a molecule, often changing the activity or shape of a protein.

Progesterone

A steroid hormone key in the female reproductive cycle, triggering maturation of oocytes.

Proliferation

An increase in the number of cells resulting from cell growth and division.

S Phase (Synthesis)

The second phase of interphase where DNA replication occurs.