Unit 4 AP Biology Concept Questions

Cell cycle and mitosis

1. What happens in G1, G2, S, and M phase of the cell cycle? What is the purpose of the G0 phase?

2. Explain the process of cell division. Be familiar with the events and characteristics of each phase of the cycle (prophase, metaphase, etc.).

3. How is the cell cycle regulated? (i.e How does a cell know when to move from one phase to the next?)

Cell communication and signal transduction

4. When would a cell use paracrine, synaptic, endocrine, or direct contact communication?

5. How does a ligand find its target cell?

6. (In general) what happens when a ligand binds to a receptor? 

7. Be able to decipher a signal transduction pathway using a diagram.

8. What is the purpose of a “second messenger”? How are these messengers activated?

9. Why is signal amplification important? How does it happen?

10. Be able to describe what would happen if one part of the signal transduction pathway malfunctions. 

Feedback mechanisms

11. How can you tell whether a feedback mechanism is positive or negative? How do these mechanisms work?