Disease Storyline Vocabulary

Apoptosis

programmed cell death

Mitosis

cell division in which the nucleus divides into nuclei containing the same number of chromosomes

Meiosis

Cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms

Mitosis vs. Meiosis

Mitosis: one division forming 2 identical cells (clones); Meiosis: two divisions forming 4 genetically different cells

Genotype

genetic makeup of an organism; an organism's combination of alleles (ex: Aa, aa)

Phenotype

An organism's physical appearance, or visible traits.

cell cycle

series of events that cells go through as they grow and divide

cell

Basic unit of life

Cancer

disorder in which some of the body's cells lose the ability to control growth

Hayflick limit

The number of times a human cell is capable of dividing into two new cells. The limit for most human cells is approximately 50 divisions, an indication that the life span is limited by our genetic program.

Prophase

first and longest phase of mitosis, during which the chromosomes become visible and the centrioles separate and take up positions on the opposite sides of the nucleus

Metaphase

Chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell

Anaphase

Phase of mitosis in which the chromosomes separate and move away to opposite ends of the cell

Telophase

After the chromosome separates, the cell seals off to make two nuclei

Cytokinesis

division of the cytoplasm

cell growth

process by which a cell increases its size

Cell Cycle Regulation

controlled cell growth - cancer cells don't respond to this

Differentiation

process in which cells become specialized in structure and function

Oncogenes

genes that cause cancer by blocking the normal controls on cell growth

DNA

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

RNA

A single-stranded nucleic acid that passes along genetic messages

DNA polymerase

Enzyme involved in DNA replication that joins individual nucleotides to produce a DNA molecule

Interphase

period of the cell cycle between cell divisions

Chargoff's Rule

A=T and G=C

Nucleotide

A building block of DNA, consisting of a five-carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.

Helicase

An enzyme that untwists the double helix of DNA at the replication forks.

Primase

An enzyme that joins RNA nucleotides to make the primer.

Eukaryotic cells

Has a nucleus and membrane bound organelles

Prokaryotic cells

Cells without true nuclei, lacking many other structures found in eukaryotic cells.