Transcript Mitosis
Mitosis
Cell Division
Timothy G. Standish, Ph. D.
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
In The Beginning One
Most of the organisms we see started out as one
cell
Humans start out as a single cell, the zygote,
formed by uniting a sperm and egg
The zygote divides to make approximately one
trillion cells
During the process of dividing, cells become
specialized to function in the various tissues and
organs of the body
Mitosis is the process of cell division in
eukaryotic cells
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Why Cells Must Divide
In multicelled organisms (like humans) cells
specialize for specific functions thus the original
cells must divide to produce different kinds of
cells
Cells can only take in nutrients and excrete waste
products over the surface of the membrane that
surrounds them. The surface to volume ratio
decreases with the square of the volume (unless
special accommodations are made)
1 cm
Surface 6 cm2/
volume 1cm3= 6
2 cm
Surface 24 cm2/
volume 8 cm3 = 3
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
The Cell Lifecycle
The cell lifecycle is well defined and can be
divided into four stages:
– Gap 1 (G1) - The growth phase in which most
cells are found most of the time
– Synthesis (S) - During which new DNA is
synthesized
– Gap 2 (G2) - The period during which no
transcription or translation occurs and final
preparations for division are made
– Mitosis - Cell division
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
The Cell Lifecycle
Gap 1 - Doubling
of cell size.
Regular cellular
activities.
Transcription and
translation etc.
Synthesis of DNA Regular cell
activities cease and
a copy of all nuclear
DNA is made
S
G1
G2
M
Gap 2 - Final
preparation for
division
Mitosis - Cell
division
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Stages Of Mitosis
During mitosis an exact copy of the
genetic material in the “mother” cell
must be distributed to each “daughter”
cell
Each stage of mitosis is designed to
achieve equal and exact distribution of
the genetic material which has been
copied during the S phase of the cell
cycle
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Stages Of Mitosis
Interphase - The in-between stage - Originally
metaphase was thought to be a resting stage now
we know that this is the stage most cells spend
their time in doing the things that cells do and, if
they are preparing to divide, growing and
replicating their DNA
S
Interphase
G2
G1
M
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Stages Of Mitosis
Prophase - The beginning phase - DNA
which was unraveled and spread all over the
nucleus is condensed and packaged
Metaphase - Middle stage - Condensed
chromosomes line up along the equator of
the cell
Anaphase - One copy of each chromosome
moves to each pole of the cell
Telophase - End stage - New nuclear
membranes are formed around the
chromosomes and cytokinesis (cytoplasm
division) occurs resulting in two daughter
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Mother cell
Stages Of Mitosis
Nucleus with uncondensed
Condensed
chromosomes
Equator
chromosomes
of the cell
Interphase
Disappearing
Prophase
nuclear
membrane
Mitotic
spindle
Poles of
the cellTwo
daughter
cells
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
Histone
octomer
Histone proteins
B DNA Helix
2 nm
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
Histone
octomer
Histone proteins
B DNA Helix
2 nm
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
11 nm
Histone
octomer
Histone proteins
Nucleosome
B DNA Helix
2 nm
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
“Beads on
a string”
11 nm
30 nm
Tight helical
fiber
Looped
200 nm Domains
Protein scaffold
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Packaging DNA
Nucleosomes
11 nm
30 nm
Tight helical fiber
Metaphase
Chromosome
700 nm
200 nm Looped Domains
2 nm
B DNA Helix
Protein scaffold
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
Chromosomes, Chromatids
and Centromeres
A packaged
chromosome
Chromatid
Identical
chromatid
Chromosome
arm
Centromere
Two identical
chromosomes
Replication
Anaphase
Chromosome
arm
©1999 Timothy G. Standish
©1999 Timothy G. Standish