Reviewing mitosis/Cell Signaling

You should have 16 total lines, 4 of each color. Each color represents a different chromosome
pair, and each pair should have one gene labeled. For this activity, we assume that the organism
is heterozygous for the 4 genes that we labeled – they have a dominant uppercase allele on one
chromosome and a recessive lowercase allele on the other chromosome of the pair.

Mitosis and meiosis both begin with diploid cells. In this activity, the initial cell is 2n = 8 total
chromosomes (or 4 homologous pairs). The other 8 lines will be used when you make a copy of
all the DNA pieces during interphase.

Make sure you randomly distribute these chromosomes… the pairs are often nowhere near each
other.

Draw the initial diploid cell and its contents:

(label the allele letters also!)

A
a
a
Mitosis
Show the copying that occurs during interphase (you can just place the copy on top of the
original to make an “X” shape). The DNA is actually in __chromatin__ unpacked form during
interphase copying.

In early mitosis, we can actually see the X shapes. Show how they lineup in mitosis to be split
apart. Then split them apart and show what you get in the product cells (after cytokinesis
occurs). Label the allele letters also!
 A
lineup in
mitosis: a

a
A
after
cytokinesis:
Questions:
1) What is the purpose of mitosis in different species? (two purposes for us humans, one
additional purpose for other species)
For humans, mitosis is used for growth and development and tissue renewal. For other
species, mitosis is also used to reproduce.

2) Assuming we start with a diploid cell, are the cells at the end of the process diploid or
haploid?
The diploid cell stays diploid for mitosis at the end.

3) How does the mechanism of mitosis ensure its overall purpose? (I’m thinking about the
lineup here)
Mitosis ensures its overall purpose because the process ensures that genetic information is
replicated so both cells have the DNA needed to survive. By producing new cells, this
ensures growth because more cells is more growth. Tissue renewal is mitosis because the
creation of new cells from mitosis ensures that the tissue cells are not too old.

Now go deeper into the mechanism of mitosis by reviewing pages 235 – 239 of your textbook.
Use these terms in context in your review of the process:

phases: cytokinesis, interphase (including G1, G2, S subphases), mitosis (also called M)

cell structures: centrosome, kinetochore microtubules, kinetochore protein region (with

motor protein in the overall complex), nucleus

DNA structures: centromere, chromatin, sister chromatin

4. Explain two ways how the cell cycle can be controlled.

The cell cycle can be controlled by checkpoints and with genes that control cell division.
Checkpoints ensure that everything is normal before the cell moves forward in the cycle. If
something is wrong at one of the checkpoints, the process does not move forward. This way, the
cell can control that mutated cells are not being made. Genes like oncogenes and tumor repressor
genes make sure that the cell cycle stops when it should and that it goes when it should.
Oncogenes code for proteins that stimulate the cell cycle so enough cells are made, and tumor
repressor genes stop the cell cycle so cell division is controlled and mutated cells are not made.

5. Explain proto and oncogenes.

Proto-oncogenes are the non-mutated oncogenes that carry out their function properly. They
code for cell cycle stimulation and stimulate cell growth. Oncogenes are mutated proto-
oncogenes and do not carry out cell division properly. Instead of normal cell division, they
stimulate too much cell division and cell growth..