Mitosis

Flashcards for key vocabulary terms related to cell division and mitosis.

Mitosis

The division of the nucleus.

Prophase

The first stage of mitosis where the nucleus starts to change.

Prometaphase

Sometimes used to describe late prophase.

Metaphase

The stage where chromosomes line up along the middle of the cell.

Anaphase

The stage where chromosomes separate from each other.

Telophase

The stage where new nuclei form.

Cytokinesis

The separation of the cytoplasm, happening simultaneously with telophase.

Mitotic Phase

Encompasses mitosis and cytokinesis; a way of saying cell division.

Daughter Cells

The new cells formed after mitosis and cytokinesis.

Interphase

The nondivision portion of the cell life cycle that daughter cells enter.

G1 (Gap 1)

The first step of interphase, which is a growth phase.

G0 (Gap 0)

A state where cells stay in G1 for a very long time or forever.

S Phase (DNA Synthesis)

The phase where DNA is copied in preparation for cell division; still part of interphase.

G2 (Gap 2)

A growth phase after S phase.

Chromatin

The material inside the nucleus that starts to cluster up into worm-shaped chromosomes during prophase.

Centrosomes

Migrate to opposite sides of the cell during prophase. There are two of them.

Microtubules

Fibrous things running between the centrosomes.

Mitotic Spindle

The whole structure, including the centrosomes and microtubules, that allows chromosomes to separate.

Metaphase Plate

The region where chromosomes are lined up along the middle of the cell.

Chromatids

The two halves of a chromosome, each a copy of the same chromosome.

Kinetochore

The attachment complex that moves chromatids during cell division.

Cell Plate

A structure that forms in plant cells during cytokinesis to create a border between the two new cells.

Cleavage Furrow

The pinching in from the side of an animal cell during cytokinesis.

G1 Checkpoint

A stopping point in G1 where a cell can stay in G1 or enter G0.

G2 Checkpoint

The barrier between interphase and mitosis.

Cyclin Dependent Kinases

A group of enzymes that open the G2 checkpoint.

M Checkpoint

The stopping point between metaphase and anaphase.

MPF (Mitotic Phase Promoting Factor)

A cyclin dependent kinase at the G2 checkpoint that stimulates mitosis.

APC (Anaphase Promoting Complex)

The checkpoint in the middle of mitosis, between metaphase and anaphase.

Growth Factors

External signals that stimulate a cell to go through the cell cycle.

HeLa Cells

A famous line of cells from Henrietta Lacks' cancer that divide uncontrollably.

Binary Fission

The type of cell division that happens in prokaryotic cells.

Karyotype

A picture of a set of chromosomes from a cell.

Somatic Cell

A typical cell in the body (not a sperm or egg cell).

Germ Cells

The cells that divide to become sperm and eggs.

Gametes

Sperm and egg cells.

Genome

The complete set of genetic material of an individual, including chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA.

Chromosome

Made of DNA and proteins, wrapped up together as chromatin.

Chromatin

The DNA wrapped up with proteins that make up a chromosome.

Gene

A segment of DNA that codes for a protein (trait).

Sister Chromatids

Two copies of a chromosome connected in the middle.

Duplicate Chromosomes

New or daughter chromosomes.