Cell and Nuclear Division

A collection of vocabulary flashcards related to the processes of cell and nuclear division, including key terms and their definitions from the lecture notes.

Interphase

• Stage of the cell cycle where cells are growing
  • Metabolically active
  • DNA replication occurs

S phase

• Phase of interphase
  • DNA replication occurs

Mitosis

• Type of nuclear division
  • Results in two genetically identical diploid daughter nuclei

Cytokinesis

• Final step of cell division
  • Cytoplasm divides
  • Results in two identical daughter cells

Sister chromatids

• Identical copies of a chromosome
  • Joined together at the centromere

Helicase

• Enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix
  • Occurs during DNA replication

DNA polymerase

• Enzyme that adds complementary nucleotides
  • Growing DNA strand
  • During replication

Centromere

• Structure that holds sister chromatids together

Chromatin

• Loose, less condensed form of DNA
  • In the nucleus
  • During interphase

Diploid

• Cells that contain two sets of chromosomes
  • One from each parent

Meiosis

• Type of nuclear division
  • Occurs in formation of gametes
  • Leads to four non-identical haploid cells

Cleavage furrow

• In animal cells
  • Indentation that begins cytokinesis

Cell plate

• Structure formed during cytokinesis
  • In plant cells
  • Develops into the cell wall

Oogenesis

• Process of producing mature egg cells
  • Characterized by unequal cytokinesis

Budding

• Type of asexual reproduction
  • Involves unequal cytokinesis
  • New organism develops from an outgrowth

Centrosome

• Microtubule organizing center
  • Made of centrioles
  • Key role in spindle fibers formation during mitosis

Microtubules

• Fibrous proteins
  • Form the spindle fibers
  • Move chromosomes during mitosis