Cell Cycle, Mitosis, and Cytokinesis

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to the cell cycle, mitosis, and cytokinesis.

Interphase

Stage of the cell cycle comprised of G1, S (DNA duplication), and G2 periods. Characterized by a distinct nucleus with visible nucleoli and loose chromatin within the nuclear envelope.

Prophase

Stage of mitosis where chromatin condenses into visible duplicated chromosomes, microtubules assemble into spindle fibers, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and nucleoli disappear.

Metaphase

Stage of mitosis where sister chromatids line up along the spindle equator and spindle fibers attach to kinetochores on the centromeres of the sister chromatids.

Anaphase

Stage of mitosis where sister chromatids separate at the centromeres, becoming chromosomes, and move towards opposite poles of the cell.

Telophase

Stage of mitosis where chromosomes reach opposite poles, the spindle disorganizes, chromosomes uncoil, and the nuclear envelope reforms around each daughter nucleus. A cell plate forms as a vesicle from the Golgi-body fuse at the spindle equator of the cell.

Cytokinesis

Process that begins in late anaphase, where a cell plate will divide the cytoplasm and developing into the new cell wall and plasma membrane for daughter cells. Nucleoli reappear in each daughter cell.

G1 Phase

The first gap phase of interphase where the cell grows larger.

S Phase

The synthesis phase of interphase where the cell replicates its DNA.

G2 Phase

The second gap phase of interphase where the cell prepares to divide.

Mitosis

Division of the nuclear material, consisting of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, resulting in two daughter cells with a complete set of chromosomes.

Chromatin

Unwound DNA strands during interphase that are available for transcription.

Histones

Specialized proteins that chromatin wraps around to condense into a tight coil before mitosis.

Duplicated Chromosomes

Two identical replicated chromosomes connected to each other at the region known as the centromere.

Centromere

The region where duplicated chromosomes are connected.

Kinetochore

A structure that provides a site for attachment of the spindle fibers to separate the sister chromatids during nuclear division.