Cell Division

This flashcard set aims to provide senior high school students the necessary supplements for the course material, Cell Division, in General Biology 1. Disclaimer: This study resource is 100% independent and unofficial; it is not created, endorsed, or affiliated with our school, faculty, or course curriculum. These flashcards are intended strictly for peer-to-peer review and solo study, and they must not be opened or accessed during any quiz, exam, or graded assignment in accordance with academic integrity policies. While every effort was made to ensure accuracy, this material is provided "as-is" by a fellow student, not a textbook. The creator assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or individual academic outcomes, including final exam performance or grades. Please cross-reference these cards with your official syllabus and lecture notes.

Reproduction

This is the cellular process by which organisms produce a new generation of same species.

Cell Cycle

This is the ordered series of events in which a cell grows, copies its genetic material (DNA), and divides into two identical daughter cells.

Cell Division

This is the biological process by which a parent cell divides into two or more new cells.

Growth

This is one of the functions of cell division, in which it allows multicellular organisms’ cells to multiply and be larger.

Repair and Replacement

This is one of the functions of cell division, in which it allows old, dead, or damaged cells to be substituted, maintaining healthy tissues.

Reproduction

This is one of the functions of cell division, in which it produces new individuals in unicellular organisms.

Binary Fission

This is a type of cell division in which it is also a type of asexual reproduction where a single parent cell splits into two identical daughter cells.

Mitosis

This is a type of cell division mainly responsible for growth and repair, in which a parent cell divides into two identical diploid cells.

Meiosis

his is a type of cell division mainly responsible for sexual reproduction, in which two parent cells reduce their chromosome number by half to produce four genetically distinct sex cells.

Interphase

This is the phase in mitosis in which it acts as the active preparation phase where a cell spends most of its life cycle, growing larger, copying its DNA, and making proteins so it can successfully divide into two new cells later.

First Gap Phase

This is the phase in mitosis interphase where a cell grows larger, copies its organelles, and gathers energy and building blocks before replicating its DNA.

Quiescence

A resting state during the interphase where the cell exits the active cycle and stops dividing, though it continues to perform its normal cellular functions.

Synthesis Phase

This is the phase in mitosis interphase where the cell makes an exact copy of its entire DNA.

Second Gap Phase

the cell cycle where a cell where it completes its growth, synthesizes proteins and duplicates organelles for division, and verifies that its DNA is completely replicated and undamaged.

Apoptosis

This is a natural, orderly process of programmed cell death that allows the body to eliminate damaged, unneeded, or old cells without causing harm or inflammation to surrounding tissues.

G1 Checkpoint

These are the control points before a cell moves on to the next phase in which it checks its size, nutrients, molecular signals, and DNA integrity before proceeding,

G2 Checkpoint

These are the control points before a cell moves on to the next phase in which it checks its DNA integrity and replication, ensuring it is copied completely and entirely.

Mitotic Phase

This is the part of the cell cycle where a cell divides its copied DNA and cytoplasm to make two new, identical daughter cells.

Prophase

The part in the mitotic phase in which visible threads of chromosomes form, chromatids become visible in pairs, nuclear membrane disappears, and spindle fibers form where the chromatids start to attach to it.

Prometaphase

The part in the mitotic phase in which the nuclear envelope breaks down and spindle microtubules attach to the kinetochores of the sister chromatids, beginning to move them toward the center of the cell.

Metaphase

The part in the mitotic phase in which all duplicated chromosomes line up along the cell's equator, with spindle fibers securely attached to both sides of each chromosome at the spindle checkpoint.

Metaphase Plate

This is the imaginary center line or flat plane in a dividing cell in which all chromosomes align into before dividing.

Anaphase

The part in the mitotic phase in which sister chromatids are pulled apart by shortening spindle fibers and move toward opposite poles of the cell, becoming individual chromosomes.

Telophase

The part in the mitotic phase in which the separated chromosomes arrive at opposite poles, decondense back into chromatin, and new nuclear envelopes form around each set to recreate two distinct nuclei.

Cytokinesis

This is the process in which the cytoplasm splits to divide the parent cell into two distinct, genetically identical daughter cells.

Salinity

This is the external factor that affects mitosis by controlling osmotic pressure and ion balance; extreme salt levels cause cellular dehydration, enzyme disruption, or swelling, which halts cell division.

Temperature

This is the external factor that affects mitosis by altering enzyme activity, metabolic rates, and spindle fiber assembly; extreme heat denatures key proteins while extreme cold slows molecular motion to a halt.

Mineral Availability

This is the external factor that affects mitosis by supplying the chemical components and energy needed to replicate DNA, build mitotic structures, and construct new cell walls during division.

pH Levels

This is the external factor that affects mitosis by regulating enzyme function and spindle protein stability, where extreme acidity or alkalinity denatures critical proteins and halts cell division.

Biological Factors

These are the external factors that affect mitosis (i.e. roundworms, soil bacteria, fungi) by stimulating cellular mitosis in plants and soil life by breaking down organic matter to provide the essential nutrients and minerals required for DNA synthesis and cell division.

Environmental Factors

These are the external factors (i.e. light, humidity, atmospheric gases) that affect mitosis by supplying the photosynthetic energy, cellular turgor, and respiratory ATP needed for DNA replication, cell expansion, and chromatic separation.

Reductional Division

This is the process in meiosis where a diploid cell divides to produce two haploid cells by separating homologous chromosome pairs, cutting the total chromosome number in half.

Prophase 1

This is the meiotic stage in which homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange genetic material through crossing over to create genetic diversity, while the nuclear envelope breaks down and the meiotic spindle begins to form.

Leptotene

This is the substage in Prophase 1 where replicated chromatin condenses into thin, visible chromosomal threads and attaches to the nuclear envelope to prepare for homologous pairing.

Zygotene

This is the substage in Prophase 1 where homologous chromosomes physically zipper together through synapsis to form bivalents in preparation for crossing over.

Pachytene

This is the substage in Prophase 1 where fully paired homologous chromosomes exchange DNA segments through crossing over, generating genetic diversity.

Diplotene

This is the substage in Prophase 1 where the synaptonemal complex dissolves and paired homologous chromosomes pull apart, remaining joined only at the chiasmata.

Diakinesis

This is the substage in Prophase 1 where fully condensed homologous chromosomes undergo terminalization of chiasmata while the nuclear envelope breaks down to prepare for metaphase I.

Metaphase 1

This is the meiotic stage in which paired homologous chromosomes randomly align along the cell's equatorial plate while spindle fibers attach to pull entire chromosomes toward opposite poles.

Anaphase 1

This is the meiotic stage in which homologous chromosome pairs are separated and pulled to opposite spindle poles while sister chromatids remain connected.

Telophase 1

This is the meiotic stage in which isolated chromosome sets arrive at opposite poles, nuclear envelopes reform, and cytokinesis splits the cell into two haploid daughter cells.

Equational Division

This is the process in meiosis (and mitosis) in which sister chromatids separate, producing daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Prophase 2

This is the meiotic stage in which chromatin re-condenses into visible chromosomes within both haploid cells, the nuclear envelopes dissolve, and new spindle apparatuses form to prepare for sister chromatid alignment.

Metaphase 2

This is the meiotic stage in which individual, non-identical chromosomes align single-file along the cell's equatorial plate while spindle fibers attach to the kinetochores of sister chromatids.

Anaphase 2

This is the meiotic stage in which centromeres split and sister chromatids are pulled apart to opposite ends of both haploid cells, becoming individual chromosomes.

Telophase 2

This is the meiotic stage in which nuclear envelopes re-form around four separated sets of decondensing chromosomes, followed by cytokinesis that yields four genetically distinct haploid cells.

Four Sperm Cells

These are the final product when a sperm cell undergoes meiosis successfully.

One Egg Cell and Three Polar Cells

These are the final product when an egg cell undergoes meiosis successfully.

Chromosomes

These are the package-like structures of tightly wound DNA and proteins that ensure genetic material is accurately copied and distributed during cell division.

Histones

These are the basic, positively charged proteins that act as structural spools to compact long DNA strands into nucleosomes and regulate access to genetic information.

Chromatid

This is a single, replicated strand of a chromosome that remains joined to its identical twin until cell division pulls them apart.

Centromere

This is the central primary constriction of a chromosome that links sister chromatids together and anchors kinetochores for chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis.

Kinetochore

This is a protein complex built on the centromere that anchors spindle fibers to chromosomes and controls their movement and alignment safeguard during cell division.

Telomere

This is the protective non-coding DNA caps at chromosome ends that shorten with each cell division, acting as a molecular clock for cellular aging.

p Arm

This is the shorter upper segment of a chromosome relative to the centromere.

q Arm

This is the longer lower segment of a chromosome relative to the centromere.

Genetic Variation

This is the diversity of DNA sequences across organisms which makes evolution possible.

Crossing Over

This is the physical swapping of DNA segments between non-sister chromatids, producing unique recombinant chromosomes that drive genetic variation.

Random Orientation

This is the unbiased positioning of homologous chromosome pairs along the metaphase plate which determines the unique mix of maternal and paternal chromosomes sent to each daughter cell.