| Why are Cells Small?? | the larger a cell grows, the more demands the cell places on its DNA; in addition, the cell has more trouble moving enough nutrients & wastes across the cell membrane |
| Events of Cell Cycle | G1 phase, S phase, G2 phase, M phase |
| Mitosis (4 stages) | Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, & Telophase |
| Prophase | chromatin condenses into chromosomes; centrioles seperate and a spindle begins to form; the nuclear envelope breaks down |
| Metaphase | chromosomes line up across the center of the cell; each chromosome is connected to a spindle fiber at its centromere |
| Anaphase | the sister chromatids seperate into individual chromosomes and are moved apart |
| Telophase | the chromosomes gather at opposite ends of the cell and lose their distinct shapes; 2 new nuclear envelopes will form |
| Cytokinesis | the division of the cytoplasm |
| Chromosomes | threadlike structures within the nucleus containing the genetic info that is passed from one generation of cells to the next |
| Chromatid | 1 of 2 identical "sister" parts of a duplicated chromosome |
| p53 | involved in cancer cells; normally halts the cell cycle until all chromosomes have been properly replicated; damaged or defective p53 genes cause the cells to lose the info needed to respnd to signals that would normally control their growth |