Cell Cycle, Cell Division and Structure of Chromosomes
Cell Cycle, Cell Division and Structure of Chromosomes
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Remember!
In cell divisions for growth, replacement and repair, the number of chromosomes remains the
same at each division. The chromosomes duplicate and distribute equally in the daughter cells.
This kind of division which occurs in all body cells except in the egg producing oocytes and sperm
producing spermatocytes, is known as mitosis.
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Mitosis
Mitosis
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INTERPHASE
Mitosis
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INTERPHASE
Mitosis
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INTERPHASE
Mitosis
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PROPHASE (A and B)
A. Early Prophase
B. Late Prophase
* - Centromere does not containing DNA, and hence is
a neutral area which is fit for breaking.
Mitosis
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METAPHASE
Mitosis
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ANAPHASE (A and B)
Mitosis
A. Early Anaphase
B. Late Anaphase
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TELOPHASE
Mitosis
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Plants
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Significance of Mitosis
1.
Growth or increase in the body size is due to formation of new cells in the
tissues.
2.
Replacement of the old and dead cells, such as the blood cells and the
epidermal cells of the skin, as well as repair of damaged and wounded
tissues by renewal of the lost cells.
3.
4.
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No. At some places it stops permanently, at some places temporarily and at others
till it is needed. There is a regulatory mechanism for all cycles.
Brain and other nerve cells once formed in the embryo do not divide further.
Once dead, they cannot be replaced.
Liver cells may divide only once every two years to replace damaged or
destroyed cells.
Surface skin cells are continuously lost and replaced by underlying cells.
In plants, the cells at the growing points or meristems divide very rapidly
and produce new leaves, buds and flowers, etc.
Specialized germinal cells in the ovary and testis in animals and anthers in
plants undergo the other type of cell division called meiosis to produce sex cells.
Uncontrolled non-stop cell cycles may lead to tumors that may or may not be
cancerous.
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Meiosis
Meiosis is the kind of cell division that produces the sex cells or the gametes.
It takes place in the reproductive organs in humans (testis and ovary) to
produce sperms and ova. In the flowering plant it takes place in the anthers
and the ovary to produce pollen grains and ovules.
The most significant aspect of meiosis is that the number of chromosomes
is halved. One member of each pair (haploid) are passed on to the sex cells.
This is essential because when the male and female gametes fuse during
fertilization, the normal double (diploid) number of chromosomes is
reacquired. The diploid number, as a rule, is expressed as
number as n.
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Significance of Meiosis
1.
2.
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1. Occurs in reproductive
cells
Meiosis
2. Occurs only for gamete
formation
3. Produces four daughter cells
4. Only half the number of
chromosomes is passed onto
the daughter cell. This is the
haploid number of
chromosomes
5. Chromosome duplication
followed by two nuclear
divisions
6. The chromosomes and genes
are randomly assorted
between the gametes produced.
This results in genetic
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Chromatin
Chromatin material that constitutes the fibre is formed of two substances.