Cell Division and Chromosome Structure

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to cell division and chromosome structure.

Cell Division

The process by which a parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells.

Chromosome

A structure composed of DNA and proteins that contains genetic information.

Centromere

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

Sister chromatids

Identical copies of a chromosome that are connected by a centromere.

Kinetochore

A protein structure on the centromere that attaches to the microtubules of the spindle apparatus during cell division.

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle where the cell performs its normal functions and prepares for division.

Cyclin

A protein whose levels fluctuate during the cell cycle, regulating the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases.

Meiosis

A specialized form of cell division that reduces the genetic material by half, producing gametes.

Crossing Over

The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, increasing genetic diversity.

Cleavage Furrow

The indentation that begins the process of cytokinesis in animal cells.

Karyotype

A display of the chromosome pairs of a cell arranged by size and shape.

Diploid

A cell or organism that has two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Haploid

A cell that contains a single set of chromosomes.

Zygote

The fertilized egg that results from the fusion of sperm and egg, which will develop into a new organism.

Telophase

The final stage of mitosis or meiosis when the chromatids are at opposite poles and the nuclear envelope re-forms.

Cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)

An enzyme that, when activated by a cyclin, can phosphorylate target proteins to regulate the cell cycle.

Metaphase Plate

An imaginary plane during metaphase where chromosomes are aligned in the center of the cell.

What happens during Interphase?

The cell performs its normal functions, grows, and prepares for division by replicating its DNA.

What happens during Telophase?

The chromatids are at opposite poles, the nuclear envelope re-forms around each set of chromosomes, and the cell prepares to divide.

What happens during Metaphase?

The chromosomes are aligned along the metaphase plate, and spindle fibers attach to the kinetochores of sister chromatids.

What happens during Meiosis?

Meiosis consists of two rounds of division (Meiosis I and II), which reduce the chromosome number by half and produce four haploid gametes.

What happens during Cytokinesis?

The cytoplasm divides, resulting in two daughter cells, with a cleavage furrow forming in animal cells.