Study Guide 11
Last revised: Friday, August 9, 2002
Topic: Cell Division: Mitosis & Meiosis
Chapters 12, 13

  1. How is bacterial cell division different from eukaryotic cell division in terms of: (1) number of chromosomes involved; (2) use of mitotic spindle fibers; (3) coiling and uncoiling of chromosomes during division; (4) amount of DNA that can be handled by cell division process? (See Fig. 12.9 and 12.10 to review these differences graphically).
  2. What is chromatin? What is its composition? How does it behave at different stages of the cell cycle?
  3. What are nucleosomes? What is their relation to histone proteins?
  4. What event(s) characterizes each of the following cell stages: Go, G1, S, G2, M. (See p. 218 for description of the Go phase).
  5. What event(s) characterizes each of the following: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, cytokinesis?
  6. What does colchicine do? For what purpose(s) would you want to use it?
  7. How does cytokinesis differ between animal and plant cells?
  8. What is meant by: centromere, sister chromatid, kinetochore, centrosome, centriole, spindle, homologue?
  9. Distinguish diploid and haploid numbers. Which cells carry haploid sets? Where are haploid cells created?
  10. What is a karyotype? What kinds of defects can be identified from karyotypes?
  11. Contrast mitosis and meiosis. In which process do homologous chromosomes pair? What is meant by: synapsis, tetrad, crossing over, nondisjunction?
  12. How does prophase of mitosis differ from prophase of meiosis I? of meiosis II?
  13. How many different chromosome combinations could result (excluding crossing-over) as a result of meiosis in an organism for which N=1? N=2? N=3? N=23?
  14. What is nondisjunction? When does it occur? How frequent an event is it in humans? What problems (if any) does it cause?
  15. What role do each of the following play in controlling cell division: (a) p53; (b) growth factors.
  16. What changes must occur in a cell in order for it to become cancerous?

Sample problems:
1. Here is a diagram of a diploid cell with 4 chromosomes:



(a) What stage of cell division could look like the picture above? ____________
(b) What would the cell look like at prophase of Meiosis I? (draw your answer)
(c) What would the cell look like at anaphase of Mitosis? (draw your answer)
(d) What would the cell look like at metaphase of Meiosis II? (draw your answer)

2. Match processes listed below with the correct stage of the cell cycle, using the following key list:
A. Telophase (and cytokinesis)
B. Anaphase
C. G1
D. S
E. G2
F. Metaphase
G. Prophase
H. Go
(a) DNA replicates
(b) Centrioles begin to move apart
(c) Nuclear envelope fragments
(d) Sister chromatids are pulled apart
(e) Chromosomes are in least condensed form
(f) Cells are not going to divide again
(g) Growth factors cause cells to move from ____ into ______ stage

3. Homologous pairs of chromosomes separate during:
(a) Meiosis I
(b) Meiosis II
(c) Mitosis
(d) Fertilization
(e) both a and b


[ top ][ Study Guide Index Page ][ Practice Quiz Index Page ][ Bio 107 home page ][ Dr. Terry home ][ Univ. of Conn. ]