Cell Cycle, Mitosis, and Cancer

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the lecture on the cell cycle, mitosis, and their relation to cancer.

Cell Cycle

The series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and replication.

Mitosis

A process of cell division where one cell divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells.

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle where the cell spends the majority of its life and prepares for division.

Chromatid

Each of the two identical halves of a replicated chromosome.

Centromere

The region of a chromosome where the two sister chromatids are joined together.

Cytokinesis

The process of cytoplasmic division that occurs at the end of mitosis, resulting in two daughter cells.

G1 Phase

The first phase of interphase in the cell cycle where the cell grows and performs its functions.

S Phase

The synthesis phase of the cell cycle in which DNA is replicated.

G2 Phase

The second gap phase in interphase where the cell continues to grow and prepares for mitosis.

M Phase

The phase of the cell cycle where mitosis and cytokinesis occur, resulting in cell division.

Somatic Cells

Any cells of a living organism other than the reproductive cells.

Germ Cells

Reproductive cells that give rise to gametes in organisms.

Checkpoints

Regulatory points in the cell cycle that assess the readiness of the cell to proceed with division.

Telomeres

The repetitive sequences at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes that protect them from degradation.

Telomerase

An enzyme that adds nucleotides to the ends of chromosomes, allowing replication of telomeres.

DNA Polymerase

An enzyme responsible for synthesizing DNA molecules from nucleotides.

Mismatch Repair

A process where errors in DNA replication are corrected by specialized enzymes.

Cancer

A disease caused by uncontrolled cell division that can lead to tumor formation.

Exonuclease

An enzyme that removes incorrect nucleotides from a DNA strand during replication.