Cell Division Vocabulary

Cell Division- a process by which a cell, called the parent cell, divides into two cells, called daughter cells. Cell division is usually a small segment of a larger cell cycle. In meiosis however, a cell is permanently transformed and cannot divide again.

http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/tutorials/cell_cycle/mitosis_movie.html

Chromatid- One of the two side by side replicas produced by chromosome replication in mitosis or meiosis. Subunit of a chromosome after replication and prior to anaphase of meiosis II or mitosis. At anaphase of meiosis II or mitosis when the centromeres divide and the sister chromatids separate each chromatid becomes a chromosome.

Centromere- Centromeres are highly complex chromosomal substructures involved in essential aspects of chromosome transmission during cell division. The centromere/kinetochor complex is responsible for directing chromosome movements in mitosis and for faithful progression of mitotic events at the transition between metaphase and anaphase

Interphase- Interphase refers to all stages of the cell cycle other than mitosis. During interphase, cellular organelles double in number, the DNA replicates, and protein synthesis occurs. The chromosomes are not visible and the DNA appears as uncoiled chromatin.

Cell cycle- or cell-division cycle, is the series of events that take place in a eukaryotic cell leading to its replication. These events can be divided in two broad periods: interphase—during which the cell grows, accumulating nutrients needed for mitosis and duplicating its DNA—and the mitotic (M) phase, during which the cell splits itself into two distinct cells, often called "daughter cells".

Mitosis- Mitosis is nuclear division plus cytokinesis, and produces two identical daughter cells during prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

prophase- a stage of mitosis in which the chromatin condenses into a highly ordered structure called a chromosome

centriole- a barrel shaped organelle found in most eukaryotic cells, though absent in higher plants and fungi. The walls of each centriole are usually composed of nine triplets of microtubules.

spindle- pulls together the chromosomes into the two daughter cells.

metaphase-In Metaphase the kinetochores that are responsible for moving the chromosomes jump begin to orientate the chromosomes.

anaphase- In anaphase two events occur. First the kinetochores begin to move towards the poles. Then the polar fibers elongate, spreading the poles farther apart from each other.

telophase-A stage in cell division when the nucleus of one cell is divided equally into two nuclei.

cytokinesis- Cytokinesis is the process whereby the cytoplasm of a single cell is divided to spawn two daughter cells.

cyclin- a family of proteins involved in the progression of cells through the cell cycle.

cancer- a group of diseases in which cells are aggressive (grow and divide without respect to normal limits), invasive (invade and destroy adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastatic (spread to other locations in the body).