The Cell Cycle

The Cell Cycle is the chain of events that takes place in the cell leading up to the duplicatication and divison of the cell's DNA. The cell's DNA divides into two daughter cells. The cell Cycle undergoes four different phases: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase. The two main stages of The Cell Cycle are Interphase and mitotic phase.

Interphase

Interphase is the the resting phase between successive mitotic divisions of a cell, or between the first and second divisions of meiosis.During interphase, a cell roughly doubles the number of its cytoplasmic components, and replicates its DNA. There are three stages in interphase: G1 phase, S phase and G2 phase. G1 phase contains the growth of the cell, S phase uses DNA synthesis, and G2 phase has the checkpoints for cell divison.

Prophase

Prophase the first stage of cell division, before metaphase, during which the chromosomes become visible as paired chromatids and the nuclear envelope disappears. The first prophase of meiosis includes the reduction division. A spindle forms from microtubles assmble and lengthen. Sister chromatids are attached to opposite centrosomes.

Metaphase

Metaphase the second stage of cell division, between prophase and anaphase, during which the chromosomes become attached to the spindle fibers.

Anaphase

Anaphase is the stage of meiotic or mitotic cell division in which the sister chromatids separate and move away from one another to opposite poles of the spindle.

Telophase

Telophase is the the final phase of cell division, between anaphase and interphase, in which the chromatids or chromosomes move to opposite ends of the cell and two nuclei are formed.

Telomeres

A telomere is a compound structure at the end of a chromosome.

Cancer

Cancer is the disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.