Chapter 8: Cell Growth and Division

Limits to Cell Growth (Initiators of Cell Division):

1. Surface area to volume ratio
2. DNA can’t make enough RNA to control the cell
3. Cell membrane will rupture

Rates of Growth:
• E. coli divide every 30 minutes under perfect conditions
(warm/dark/moist)
• Heart and nervous cells rarely divide
• Skin and digestion cells are in constant division
• Injury initiates cell division
• Cancer: uncontrolled cell division

Mitosis: the nucleus of a cell reproduces the chromosomes and divides into
two new nuclei with the exact same number of chromosomes
Cytokinesis: the cytoplasm divides to form two new, separate daughter cells

Chromosomes:
• Genetic information
• Within each species, each member has the exact same number
• Made of chromatin
• Found in pairs

See page 145 for coiling, supercoiling, and double-helix structure

Chromosome numbers:
• Sex chromosomes determine sex and carry sex-linked traits
• Normal females have XX and normal males have XY
• Autosomes determine all other traits
• Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of sex chromosomes;
total: 23 pairs
• Each pair is made from 2 chromosomes, one from each parent
• Chromosomes are homologous, they both talk about the same trait,
but may differ on that trait
 Cell Division
I(G1SG2)  PMAT  C
Interphase (Gap1 Synthesis Gap2)  Prophase Metaphase Anaphase
Telophase  Cytokinesis

Interphase:

Mitosis (PMAT):
1. Prophase (longest phase of mitosis)
• DNA coils up into rod-shaped chromosomes
• Nuclear membrane breaks down and disappears
• Centrioles appear and move to opposite poles
• Spindle fibers shoot from pole to pole

2. Metaphase (shortest)
• Chromatids line up on the equator

3. Anaphase
• Centromere breaks
• Chromatids split apart, now called chromosomes
• Chromosomes move to opposite centrioles

4. Telophase
• Chromosomes begin to get long and skinny
• Nuclear membrane reforms around each set of chromosomes
• Spindles and centrioles break down
• Spindles being to wind up

Cytokinesis:
• Cytoplasm divides
• Cell membrane moves inward around each new nuclei
• Two new daughter cells are formed with the exact number of
chromosomes as the parent cell

Summary:
G1 (I): Cell growth
S (I): Synthesis (copies each chromosome)
G2 (I): Makes materials needed for mitosis (spindles and centrioles)
P: Coiling of chromosomes
M: Line up on equator
A: Separation of chromosomes
T: Two new nuclei
C: Two new cells
Cell Division