Eukaryotic Cell Cycle, Mitosis, & Meiosis - Lecture 6-7

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to the eukaryotic cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis, designed to aid understanding and recall for exam preparation.

Eukaryotic Cell Cycle

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

Mitosis

A type of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A specialized type of cell division that produces haploid cells from a diploid cell, resulting in genetic variation.

Cytokinesis

The process of dividing the cytoplasm of a cell to form two daughter cells following mitosis.

Homologs

Pairs of chromosomes that are similar in shape, size, and genetic content.

Sister Chromatids

Identical copies of a single chromosome connected by a centromere.

Cyclins

Regulatory proteins that control the progression of cells through the cell cycle by activating cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs).

Checkpoints

Regulatory points in the cell cycle that ensure the correct progression of cell division.

Bivalent

A structure formed during meiosis consisting of a pair of homologous chromosomes.

Crossing Over

A process occurring during meiosis where homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material to increase genetic diversity.

Kinetochore

A protein structure on the chromosome where spindle fibers attach during cell division.

Genome

The complete set of genetic information in an organism.

Diploid

A cell that contains two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Haploid

A cell that contains only one set of chromosomes, commonly found in gametes.

Ploidy

The number of sets of chromosomes in a cell.

Central Dogma

The framework for understanding the transfer of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.

Cell Theory

The theory that all living organisms are composed of one or more cells, the cell is the basic unit of life, and all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in organisms caused by modifications in gene expression rather than alterations in the genetic code.

Population Genetics

The study of genetic variation within populations and the mechanisms that drive changes in allele frequencies.