Chromosomes & Cell Division Vocabulary

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to chromosomes and cell division as well as mutations.

Chromatids

The two identical parts of a chromosome.

Chromatin

DNA & protein clusters in a cell.

Gametes

Sex cells.

Chromosomes

Structures that carry genetic information.

Autosomes

Chromosomes 1 to 22, not involved in determining gender.

Diploid

Cells that have a pair of each chromosome.

Haploid

Cells that have one of each chromosome.

Sex chromosomes

Chromosomes that determine the gender of an individual.

Centromere

Structure that links two chromatids together.

Polyploid

Cells that have many copies of each chromosome.

Karyotype

Set of chromosomes that can be sorted by size.

Nonsense mutation

A random change in DNA that creates an early stop codon.

Frameshift mutation

A random change in DNA where another nucleotide is added or deleted.

Point mutation

A random change in DNA that does not affect the protein that is produced.

Nondisjunction

A mistake in meiosis that can produce offspring with an extra chromosome.

Germ mutation

Mutation that affects reproductive cells and therefore offspring.

Somatic mutation

Mutation that affects body cells and is not passed to offspring.

Silent mutation

A random change in DNA that does not change the protein produced.

Missense mutation

A random change in DNA that changes an amino acid in a protein.

Down syndrome

A result of three chromosome #21s from nondisjunction.