This deep dive covers The Cell Cycle Overview within Mitosis and the Cell Cycle for GCSE Biology. Cell division by mitosis, cell cycle phases, chromosome behavior, cytokinesis differences, stem cells, cancer, and practical investigations It is section 2 of 19 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🎯 The Cell Cycle Overview
The cell cycle is the series of events that cells go through as they grow and divide. It has two main phases:
📚 Interphase (90% of cell cycle)
The 'busy' phase where the cell grows and prepares for division
- G1 (Gap 1): Cell grows and accumulates materials and energy
- S (Synthesis): DNA replication occurs - each chromosome is duplicated
- G2 (Gap 2): Cell continues to grow and proteins for division are made
Key Point: DNA replication in S phase means each chromosome becomes two identical chromatids joined at the centromere
🔄 M Phase (Mitosis + Cytokinesis)
The division phase where the nucleus and then the cell divide
- Mitosis: Nuclear division - chromosomes are distributed equally
- Cytokinesis: Cytoplasm division - cell splits into two
Practice questions for Mitosis and the Cell Cycle
What is mitosis?
Describe what happens during interphase to prepare a cell for mitosis.
Quick recall flashcards
Give three reasons why cells divide
1. Growth - increasing cell numbers for organism development
2. Repair - replacing damaged or dead cells
3. Asexual reproduction - creating identical offspring
Define mitosis
Mitosis is the process of nuclear division that produces two genetically identical diploid cells from one diploid cell. It is used for growth and repair in multicellular organisms.