Cell Life Cycle and Protein Synthesis Overview

Cell division

Process of cellular reproduction producing daughter cells.

Apoptosis

Genetically controlled cell death at life span's end.

Interphase

Nondividing phase where somatic cells spend most time.

G0 phase

Resting phase where cells are not actively dividing.

G1 phase

First growth phase before DNA synthesis begins.

S phase

Phase where DNA replication occurs.

G2 phase

Second growth phase preparing for mitosis.

Helicases

Enzymes that unwind DNA strands during replication.

DNA polymerase

Enzyme linking nucleotides in DNA replication.

M phase

Phase of mitosis and cytokinesis in cell cycle.

Mitosis

Process of chromosome duplication and separation.

Cytokinesis

Division of cytoplasm producing two daughter cells.

Mitotic rate

Speed of cell division affecting lifespan.

Stem cells

Undifferentiated cells replenishing exposed cells.

MPF

M-phase promoting factor stimulating cell division.

Repressor genes

Genes that inhibit cell division; faulty ones cause cancer.

Telomeres

Terminal DNA segments that shorten with cell division.

Tumor

Mass formed by abnormal cell growth.

Benign tumor

Non-invasive tumor, not life-threatening unless large.

Malignant tumor

Invasive tumor spreading into surrounding tissues.

Oncogenes

Modified genes promoting cancerous cell growth.

Metastasis

Spread of cancer cells to other body areas.

Gene

DNA instructions for synthesizing one protein.

Transcription

Process of synthesizing RNA from DNA template.

Translation

Process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA codons.