CELL DIVISION VOCABULARY
INTERPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The period of the cell cycle during which the nucleus is not undergoing division, typically occurring between mitotic or meioatic divisions.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life that is integral for the preparation of mitosis.
Example: “Cells duplicate DNA, organelles, and produce enzymes in the interphase stage.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/interphase)
G1 PHASE
Dictionary definition: “The first growth period of the cell cycle, during interphase, in which the cell grows and cytoplasmic organelles are replicated.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life where the cell develops and begins copying its’ organelles.
Example: “A cell will have exactly two copies of each and every organelle after the G1 phase.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/g1-phase)
S PHASE
Dictionary definition: “The period of the cell cycle prior to mitosis, during which chromosomes are replicated.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life where the cell’s chromosomes, and consequentially its’ DNA, are replicated.
Example: “During the S phase, a human cell will have a total set of 92 chromosomes, after its 46 chromosomes have been replicated.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/s-phase)
G2 PHASE
Dictionary definition: “The second growth period of the cell cycle, following DNA replication and preceding prophase, during which the cell forms the materials that make up the spindle.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life where the spindle apparatus for the separation of the chromosomes is created.
Example: “The G2 phase is the last part of the interphase before the cell actually begins its’ process of mitosis.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/g2-phase)
PROPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The first stage of mitosis, during which the chromosomes condense and become visible, the nuclear membrane breaks down, and the spindle apparatus forms at opposite poles of the cell.”
My definition: The first phase of mitosis when the chromosomes are coiled as the nuclear membrane break apart to allow the spindle fibres to attach to each end of the cell.
Example: “Mitosis begins with the prophase stage.”
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/prophase)
METAPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The stage of mitosis and meiosis, following prophase and preceding anaphase, during which the chromosomes are aligned along the metaphase plate.”
My definition: The second phase of mitosis when the chromosomes are aligned in the centre of the cell.
Example: “Spindle fibres are responsible for the alignment of chromosomes during metaphase."
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/metaphase)
ANAPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The stage of mitosis and meiosis in which the chromosomes move to opposite ends of the nuclear spindle.”
My definition: The third phase of mitosis when the chromosomes begin to separate and move towards the opposite ends of the spindle.
Examples: “In anaphase, the chromosomes, which were previously in pairs, begin to break apart from each other.”
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anaphase)
TELOPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The final stage of mitosis or meiosis during which the chromosomes of daughter cells are grouped in new nuclei.”
My definition: The fourth phase of mitosis when the separated chromosomes have migrated into new nuclei.
Example: “Before the cells split up into daughter cells, the chromosomes must go inside their new nucleis first, which occurs during telophase stage.”
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/telophase)
CYTOKINESIS
Dictionary definition: “The physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells.”
My definition: The actual division of the cells that have now split up into two different cells.
Example: “Although cytokinesis is not a part of mitosis, it is the process where we truly see the physical, tangible result of mitosis.”
(Source: http://www.nature.com/scitable/definition/cytokinesis-100)
CHROMOSOME
Dictionary definition: “Any of the rod-shaped or threadlike DNA-containing structure of cellular organisms that are located in the nucleus of eukaryotes, are usually ring-shaped in prokaryotes (as bacteria), and contain all or most of the genes of the organism.”
My definition: A structure in the cell that contains DNA and all the genetic information of the organism.
Example: “In preparation of mitosis, chromosomes become tightly condensed and change in shape/form.”
(Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chromosome)
CHROMATID
Dictionary definition: “Either of the two daughter strands of a duplicated chromosome that are joined by a single centromere and separate during cell division to become individual chromosomes.”
My definition: One of the two strands of conjoined pairs of chromosomes that separate during mitosis.
Example: “The separation of chromatids occur during anaphase.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/chromatid)
CENTRIOLE
Dictionary definition: “A small, cylindrical cell organelle, seen near the nucleus in the cytoplasm of most eukaryotic cells, that divides in perpendicular fashion during mitosis, the new part of centrioles moving ahead of the spindle to opposite poles of the cell as the cell divides: identical in internal structure to a basal body.”
My definition: A cylinder-shaped structure in a cell that divides during mitosis and moves into each end of the cell, ahead of the spindle fibres.
Example: "Plant cells do not have centrioles, only animal cells do."
Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/centriole
Dictionary definition: “The period of the cell cycle during which the nucleus is not undergoing division, typically occurring between mitotic or meioatic divisions.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life that is integral for the preparation of mitosis.
Example: “Cells duplicate DNA, organelles, and produce enzymes in the interphase stage.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/interphase)
G1 PHASE
Dictionary definition: “The first growth period of the cell cycle, during interphase, in which the cell grows and cytoplasmic organelles are replicated.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life where the cell develops and begins copying its’ organelles.
Example: “A cell will have exactly two copies of each and every organelle after the G1 phase.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/g1-phase)
S PHASE
Dictionary definition: “The period of the cell cycle prior to mitosis, during which chromosomes are replicated.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life where the cell’s chromosomes, and consequentially its’ DNA, are replicated.
Example: “During the S phase, a human cell will have a total set of 92 chromosomes, after its 46 chromosomes have been replicated.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/s-phase)
G2 PHASE
Dictionary definition: “The second growth period of the cell cycle, following DNA replication and preceding prophase, during which the cell forms the materials that make up the spindle.”
My definition: The stage of a cell’s life where the spindle apparatus for the separation of the chromosomes is created.
Example: “The G2 phase is the last part of the interphase before the cell actually begins its’ process of mitosis.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/g2-phase)
PROPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The first stage of mitosis, during which the chromosomes condense and become visible, the nuclear membrane breaks down, and the spindle apparatus forms at opposite poles of the cell.”
My definition: The first phase of mitosis when the chromosomes are coiled as the nuclear membrane break apart to allow the spindle fibres to attach to each end of the cell.
Example: “Mitosis begins with the prophase stage.”
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/prophase)
METAPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The stage of mitosis and meiosis, following prophase and preceding anaphase, during which the chromosomes are aligned along the metaphase plate.”
My definition: The second phase of mitosis when the chromosomes are aligned in the centre of the cell.
Example: “Spindle fibres are responsible for the alignment of chromosomes during metaphase."
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/metaphase)
ANAPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The stage of mitosis and meiosis in which the chromosomes move to opposite ends of the nuclear spindle.”
My definition: The third phase of mitosis when the chromosomes begin to separate and move towards the opposite ends of the spindle.
Examples: “In anaphase, the chromosomes, which were previously in pairs, begin to break apart from each other.”
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anaphase)
TELOPHASE
Dictionary definition: “The final stage of mitosis or meiosis during which the chromosomes of daughter cells are grouped in new nuclei.”
My definition: The fourth phase of mitosis when the separated chromosomes have migrated into new nuclei.
Example: “Before the cells split up into daughter cells, the chromosomes must go inside their new nucleis first, which occurs during telophase stage.”
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/telophase)
CYTOKINESIS
Dictionary definition: “The physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells.”
My definition: The actual division of the cells that have now split up into two different cells.
Example: “Although cytokinesis is not a part of mitosis, it is the process where we truly see the physical, tangible result of mitosis.”
(Source: http://www.nature.com/scitable/definition/cytokinesis-100)
CHROMOSOME
Dictionary definition: “Any of the rod-shaped or threadlike DNA-containing structure of cellular organisms that are located in the nucleus of eukaryotes, are usually ring-shaped in prokaryotes (as bacteria), and contain all or most of the genes of the organism.”
My definition: A structure in the cell that contains DNA and all the genetic information of the organism.
Example: “In preparation of mitosis, chromosomes become tightly condensed and change in shape/form.”
(Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chromosome)
CHROMATID
Dictionary definition: “Either of the two daughter strands of a duplicated chromosome that are joined by a single centromere and separate during cell division to become individual chromosomes.”
My definition: One of the two strands of conjoined pairs of chromosomes that separate during mitosis.
Example: “The separation of chromatids occur during anaphase.”
(Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/chromatid)
CENTRIOLE
Dictionary definition: “A small, cylindrical cell organelle, seen near the nucleus in the cytoplasm of most eukaryotic cells, that divides in perpendicular fashion during mitosis, the new part of centrioles moving ahead of the spindle to opposite poles of the cell as the cell divides: identical in internal structure to a basal body.”
My definition: A cylinder-shaped structure in a cell that divides during mitosis and moves into each end of the cell, ahead of the spindle fibres.
Example: "Plant cells do not have centrioles, only animal cells do."
Source: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/centriole