Cell Division Unit Test Ultimate Study Guide

Asexual reproduction

Involves transmission of genetic material from a single parent to offspring, producing genetically identical clones.

Vegetative reproduction

A mechanism of asexual reproduction observed in various plants and clonal organisms.

Fragmentation

Breaking of the parental body into pieces that develop into complete adults.

Budding

Outgrowths from the parent that develop into new individuals, as seen in Hydra.

Binary fission

A method of asexual reproduction typical of bacteria and single-celled organisms.

Parthenogenesis

A specialized form of reproduction wherein an unfertilized egg develops into a mature individual.

Haploid

A cell or organism with a single set of chromosomes (n).

Diploid

A cell or organism with two sets of chromosomes (2n).

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four haploid daughter cells.

Karyotype

An ordered photographic display of the chromosome pairs from a cell, arranged by size and morphology.

Nondisjunction

The failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to segregate properly during cell division.

Aneuploidy

A condition where a zygote has an abnormal number of chromosomes due to nondisjunction.

Spermatogenesis

The process occurring in males that produces four functional, mature haploid sperm cells.

Oogenesis

The process occurring in females that produces a large secondary oocyte and a polar body.

Cyclins

Regulatory protein subunits that control the cell cycle by activating cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks).

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes that inhibit cell proliferation and monitor DNA integrity; mutations lead to uncontrolled growth.

Proto-Oncogenes

Normal cellular genes that promote cell growth; mutations can convert them to oncogenes leading to cancer.

Telomeres

Repetitive non-coding sequences at chromosome ends that protect genes from damage during DNA replication.

Cell Cycle Checkpoints

Regulatory points that assess conditions before allowing the cell to proceed through the cell cycle.

Homologous chromosomes

Chromosomes that are similar in size, shape and genetic content, one inherited from each parent.

Independent assortment

Random arrangement of chromosome pairs at metaphase I, contributing to genetic variation.

Crossing over

Exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis.

Random fertilization

The random combination of sperm and egg, increasing genetic diversity among offspring.