Cell Division Vocabulary

Mitosis Part of eukaryotic cell division during which the cell nucleus divides

Meiosis The process by which the number of chromosomes per cell is cut in half through the separation of homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell

Meiosis I Includes prophase I, metaphase I, and anaphase I. It results in the formation of two haploid cells

Meiosis IIIncludes prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II and telophase II. The final product is four haploid cells

InterphaseThe period of the cell cycle between cell divisions

ProphaseThe first and longest phase of mitosis during which the chromosomes become visible and the centrioles separate and take up positions on the opposite sides of the nucleus

MetaphaseThe second phase of mitosis during which the chromosomes line up across the center of the cell

AnaphaseThe third phase of mitosis during which the chromosome pairs separate and move towards opposite sides of the cell

TelophaseThe fourth and final phase of mitosis during which the chromosomes begin to disperse into a tangle of dense material

Cell divisionThe process by which a cell divides into two new daughter cells.

G1 phaseA period of activity in which the cells do most of their growing. During this phase, cells increase in size and synthesize new proteins and organelles.

S phaseComes after G1, it is when chromosomes are replicated and the synthesis of DNA molecules takes place

G2 phase The shortest phase of interphase, it is when many of the organelles and molecules required for cell division are produced.

Gamete A sex cell

OocyteAn immature egg cell

SpermThe male reproductive cell

Segregation Separation of alleles during gamete formation

Homologous Chromosomes that have corresponding chromosomes from the opposite sex parent.

Cell cycleA series of events cells go through as they grow and divide

DNANucleic acid that contains the sugar deoxyribose

SpindleFanlike microtubule structure that helps separate chromosomes during mitosis

CentrioleOne of the two tiny structures located in the cytoplasm of animal cells near the nuclear envelope

ChromosomeA threadlike structure within the nucleus containing the genetic information that is passed from one generation of cells to the next

CancerDisorder in which some of the body’s own cells lose the ability to control growth

Crossing-overProcess in which homologous chromosomes exchange portions of their chromatids during meiosis.

DiploidA cell that contains both sets of homologous chromosomes

HaploidA cell that only contains a single set of chromosomes

TetradA structure containing 4 chromatids that forms during meiosis

ChromatidsOne of the two identical “sister” parts of a duplicated chromosome

CentromereArea where the chromatids of a chromosome are attached

CytokinesisDivision of cytoplasm during cell division.

2NDiploid daughter cells

N Haploid cells