Chapter 8

Cell Growth and Division

Dr. H. Yohannes Alen, MSc.

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

OBJECTIVES:

Describe cell growth.

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

OBJECTIVES:

Define cell division.

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

OBJECTIVES:

Relate cell growth to cell

division.

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

Remember that living things:
are made up of cells
grow, or increase in size
In most cases, a living thing
grows because it produces
more cells
An adult simply has more cells
than an infant, not larger cells!

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

Why more cells, and not larger
cells?
Remember that materials enter and
leave the cell membrane
How quickly this exchange
occurs depends upon the
surface area of the cell
But, how quickly food is used and
wastes are made depends on the
cell volume

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

The cells volume grows

faster than the surface area
If the diameter increases
10 times, the surface area
increases 100 times, and
the volume increases 1,000
times!
Figure 8-2, page 160

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

1. The fact that the surface area and
volume do not increase at the same
rate creates problems for the cell
The larger cell will have a difficult
time getting enough oxygen and
nutrients in, and waste products
out.
This is a reason why cells do not
grow much larger, even though
the organism can

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

2. Another reason cells stay small
is that the cell does not make
enough DNA directions to make
more protein
much like a town that has
grown, but has not added a
single book to their library- this
results in an information crisis
CELL DIVISION solves the
problem!

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

Cell division- the process

whereby the cell divides into two
daughter cells
Most cells are about the same
size, whether they come from an
elephant or a mouse
Rates of cell growth? Some very
fast- a E. coli can easily double
its volume in about 30 minutes;
then it divides.

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

If they can divide this fast, why
have they not taken over the world?
They quickly use up the available
nutrient supply, and the rate of
growth slows.
There are controls on cell growth:
certain places (heart, nerves)
rarely ever divide
skin and digestive system divide
often

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

Some cells receive more wear and
tear, thus they may need to be
replaced often
The controls on growth can be
turned on and off:
an injury such as a cut or broken
bone causes cells at the injury
site to be stimulated to divide
rapidly
this slows as healing nears
completion

Section 8.1 - Cell Growth

Uncontrolled cell growth can
be severe
Cancer- cells have lost their
ability to control their rate of
growth; they continue to
grow (for no apparent
reason) until their supply of
nutrients is exhausted

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

OBJECTIVES:

Define mitosis and

cytokinesis.

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

OBJECTIVES:

Describe the cell cycle,

and the changes that
take place during
interphase.

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

OBJECTIVES:

Discuss the events and

the significance of
mitosis.

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

The division of eukaryotic cells

occurs in two main stages:
1. Mitosis- the process by
which the nucleus divides into
two nuclei, each with the
same number and kinds of
chromosomes as the parent
cell

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

The division of eukaryotic cells

occurs in two main stages:
2. Cytokinesis- the process by
which the cytoplasm divides,
thus forming two distinct cells.
Because eukaryotic cells are
complex, the process of cell
division is also complex; thus it is
a delicate process.

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

CHROMOSOMES- are structures

in the cell that contain the genetic
information that is passed from
one generation to the next
prokaryotic cells have
chromosomes made up of long
circular molecules of DNA
eukaryotic- made of distinct
lengths

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

Each organism has a distinct number

of chromosomes (Fig. 8-7, page 165)
humans have 46; goldfish have 94,
etc.
Chromosomes are made of chromatin,
which is made of DNA and protein
During early division, the chromatin
condenses and the chromosomes
become more visible.

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

Much of the protein is involved in

folding the DNA to fit into the nucleus;
and it is in the shape of a double helix
1973, it was discovered that the
chromosomes DNA was coiled
around special proteins called
histones
DNA + histones = beadlike structures
called nucleosomes- form a thick fiber

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

Chromosome structure:
When the chromosomes are
more visible, it is the start of
mitosis
At this point, they contain two
chromatids, attached to each
other by a centromere (Fig.
8-9, page 166)

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

THE CELL CYCLE:

this is the period from the beginning
of one mitosis to the beginning of the
next
during this time, the cell grows,
prepares for division, and divides into
the two new daughter cells
it includes mitosis (the period of
active division), interphase (a period
of no division), as well as cytokinesis

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

THE CELL CYCLE (continued)

Mitosis is represented as the M
phase, and this is when the nucleus
divides
Interphase is divided into 3 phases:
1. G1 (gap 1)
2. S (DNA synthesis)
3. G2 (gap 2)

G1 and G2 -periods of growth/activity

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

THE CELL CYCLE (continued)

The time required to complete a cycle
is the time required for it to reproduce
itself, and not all cells move through
the cycle at the same rate:
human muscle and nerve cells do
not divide at all once they have
developed
digestive linings grow/divide rapidly

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

INTERPHASE- this is the period

between divisions, and can be
quite long. The actual division
takes place quickly.
G1 - (gap 1) - period of activity in
which cell growth and
development takes place
this is followed by the S phase

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

INTERPHASE (continued)
S phase - DNA synthesis. This is
when the DNA is replicated, and
several other proteins are
synthesized.
This is the longest part of Interphase
G2 - (gap 2) - usually shortest time,
involves the synthesis of organelles
and materials for cell division

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

During interphase, the nucleus is

active in synthesizing messenger
RNA in order to direct cellular
activities.
Although it seems to be a quiet
phase (mainly growth), it is
actually a period of intense
activity.
Fig. 8-11, page 167

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

Mitosis (or the M phase) is the

process of dividing the nucleus
into two nuclei
may last anywhere from a few
minutes to several days
Divided into 4 phases:
1) prophase,
2) metaphase,
3) anaphase, and 4) telophase

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis
1. PROPHASE:
this is the longest phase of
mitosis, often taking 50-60% of
the time
first clue for prophase is that the
chromosomes are beginning to
appear distinctly (chromatids
attached by a centromere)

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis
1. PROPHASE: (continued)
centrioles separate, and
position themselves at opposite
sides of the cell (plants do not
have centrioles)
the condensed chromosomes
attach to the spindle (a meshlike structure that helps move
the chromosomes apart)

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis
1. PROPHASE: (continued)
the centrioles and spindle are
composed of the type of protein
called microtubules
near the end of prophase, the
nucleolus disappears, and the
nuclear envelope breaks down
Fig. 8-12, page 168

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

2. METAPHASE:
as prophase ends, metaphase will
automatically begin
this is the shortest time period, only
lasting a few minutes
the chromosomes line up at the
equator across the center of the cell
they connect to the spindle

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis
2. METAPHASE: (continued)
the ends of the spindle are
star-like structures called
asters, which act like small
anchors
Fig. 8-14, page 169

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

3. ANAPHASE:
this is the third phase of mitosis
the centromeres that join the
chromatids split
the chromosomes repel each
other to opposite sides of the
cell
Fig. 8-15, page 169

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

4. TELOPHASE:
the final phase of mitosis
the chromosomes (which
have been very distinct) now
begin to coil together into a
mass
nuclear envelope reforms
spindle breaks down

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

4. TELOPHASE: (continued)
the nucleolus becomes visible
in each daughter cell nucleus
Fig. 8-16, page 170
Mitosis is now complete;
however, the process of cell
division is not

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

CYTOKINESIS:
At this point, two nuclei (each
with a duplicate set of
chromosomes) are formed.
Now, we need to divide the
cytoplasm (materials outside the nucleus)
cytokinesis- the division of the
cytoplasm into two cells

Section 8.2 - Cell Division:

Mitosis and Cytokinesis

CYTOKINESIS: (continued)
In animals, the cell membrane moves
inward and pinches off
In plants, a structure called the cell
plate forms midway between the
divided nuclei; then a cell wall begins
to appear in the cell plate
Fig. 8-17, page 170
The cell now re-enters Interphase,
and continues to grow and function.