Types of Cell Division
What type of cell division do bacteria use?
Binary fission
In what phase does DNA replicate?
S phase of interphase.
What is a mutation?
A change in DNA sequence.
What is cancer?
Disease of unregulated cell division caused by mutations.
What cancer treatment physically removes the tumor?
Surgery.
What is produced during mitosis?
2 genetically identical diploid daughter cells
List the phases of mitosis in order.
Prophase → Metaphase → Anaphase → Telophase (PMAT).
What is a mutagen?
Anything that causes mutations (e.g., UV light, chemicals).
What is contact inhibition, and how is it different in cancer cells?
Normal cells stop dividing when crowded; cancer cells ignore this.
How does chemotherapy work?
Uses chemicals that kill rapidly dividing cells (cancer and healthy).
What is produced during meiosis?
4 genetically different haploid daughter cells.
What does the G1 checkpoint check for?
Cell size, nutrients, DNA damage, growth signals.
What is a proto-oncogene?
A gene that normally promotes healthy cell division.
What is anchorage dependence?
Normal cells need to be attached to tissue to divide; cancer cells do not.
How does radiation therapy kill cells?
Damages DNA so cells cannot divide.
What are the two main steps of binary fission?
DNA replication → dividing the cytoplasm.
What is apoptosis?
Programmed cell death.
What is an oncogene?
A mutated proto-oncogene that causes uncontrolled cell division (cancer).
What is angiogenesis?
Growth of new blood vessels to supply tumors.
What is targeted therapy?
Treatment that attacks specific cancer mutations without harming normal cells.
What organism reproduces using budding?
Yeast.
What does the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) ensure?
Chromosomes are properly attached before separating in anaphase.
What do BRCA1 and BRCA2 normally do?
Help repair DNA damage (tumor suppressors).
Why does cancer require multiple mutations?
It follows the multi-hit hypothesis—several damaged genes must accumulate.
What is immunotherapy?
Treatment that reactivates the immune system so it can kill cancer cells.