Cells: Division, Stem, Progenitor, Death (3.5-3.7) Terms

Cell cycle

The series of changes that a cell undergoes from the time it forms until it divides.

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle when a cell grows and duplicates its contents

Mitosis

A form of cell division that occurs in somatic (non-sex) cells and produces two daughter cells from a single parent cell.

Prophase

The first stage of mitosis where chromatin condenses into chromosomes

Metaphase

The stage of mitosis where chromosomes align midway between the centrioles.

Anaphase

The stage of mitosis where sister chromatids separate and move toward opposite poles of the cell.

Telophase

The final stage of mitosis where chromosomes complete their migration to opposite poles and nuclear envelopes re-form.

Cytokinesis

The division of the cytoplasm to form two separate daughter cells.

Differentiation

The process that guides cell specialization by activating and suppressing the functions of many genes.

Stem cells

Cells that retain the ability to divide repeatedly without specializing

Self-renewal

The ability of a stem cell to divide and give rise to at least one other stem cell.

Progenitor cell

A partly specialized cell that is intermediate between a stem cell and a fully differentiated cell.

Lineages

The sequences of progenitor and stem cells that trace the descent of differentiated cell types.

Totipotent

A cell whose daughter cells can specialize (differentiate) as any cell type

Pluripotent

A cell whose daughter cells can follow any of several pathways of specialization

Blast

A suffix used for immature differentiated cells

Apoptosis

A form of programmed cell death or "cellular suicide" that is an orderly process for removing unneeded or damaged cells.

Necrosis

A form of cell death resulting from external factors such as physical injury or toxic chemicals

Blebs

Bubble-like protrusions that develop on the surface of a cell undergoing apoptosis.