Cell Cycle Notes

I. Chromosomes: thread-like structures of DNA and histones (protein)

forming a unit called a nucleosome
A. Chromatid: 2 sister chromatids make up a chromosome
B. Centromere: attaches 2 chromatids
C. Chromatin: unraveled DNA
D. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes = 46 total (diploid/2n)
II. The Cell Cycle:
A. somatic (body) cell grows, prepares for division, and divides to form
2 identical daughter cells
Consists of 2 phases: Interphase (G1 S

G2) + Cell Division (M)

B. Interphase phase between mitosis, 90% of the time that elapses

Gap1 cell growth & assembly of carbs, lipids, and proteins
Synthesis DNA replication
G2 prep for mitosis
1. Proteins and organelles are made during all 3 stages
2. Nuclear envelope is well-defined
C. Cell Division (M) division of nucleus (mitosis) & cytoplasm (cytokinesis)

mitosis

Prophase: longest phase of M; chromosomes coil and become

visible while the nuclear membrane breaks down
centrioles: separate and move to opposite poles organizing
the mitotic spindle
spindle fibers: microtubules attach to centromere and move
sister chromatids at a site called the kinetochore
Metaphase: chromatids line up on the cell equator and centrioles are
at opposite poles
Anaphase: chromosomes move to opposite poles as spindles pull on
centromere
Telophase: 2 new nuclei form and nuclear membrane reforms

Cytokinesis: division of the cytoplasm

cleavage furrow cytoplasm in animal cell pinches inward
cell plate formation of new cell wall in plant cells during
telophase
III. Binary fission:
A. The copied prokaryotic DNA is attached to the plasma membrane at two
sites
B. the membrane grows in between the two attachment sites
C. Once the cell is almost double in size, the membrane pinches inward
and a cell wall forms

IV. Regulating the Cell Cycle

A. Uncontrolled Cell Growth
1.
Cancer - occurs when cells dont respond to growth signals
2.
Malignant tumors
i. cell mass that can damage the surrounding tissue
ii. metastasis - cells break loose from tumor spreading
throughout the body disrupting normal cell activities
3.
Causes of cancer
i. internal or external regulators are not working
ii. smoking, radiation exposure, viral infection
iii. defect in p53 and BRCA genes
B. Cell Cycle Regulators
1.
Cyclins
i. protein (kinase) found in cell during mitosis that forms
the spindle
ii. these regulate the timing of the cell cycle in eukaryotes
2.
internal regulators - proteins that respond to the events
inside the cell to make sure phases of division do not occur
too early
3.
external regulators
i. proteins that respond to the events outside the cell
which speed up or slow down the cell cycle
ii. growth factors most important regulators, especially
during embryonic development and healing
iii.molecules found on the surfaces of cells slow/stop cell
cycle of neighboring cells