Cell Growth & Division

-Cell Size Limitations (Why a cell can't grow forever)

-Surface-to-Volume Ratio
-volume increases faster than surface area

Length Surface Surface-to-

Volume
of Side Area Volume Ratio
1 mm 6 mm2 1 mm3 6
2 mm 24 mm2 8 mm3 3
4 mm 96 mm2 64 mm3 1.5

-causes problems with the transport of materials

-larger cells need more "stuff" but only so much
can cross the cell membrane at a time
-cell division solves a cell's size problem

a cell needs a large surface area relative to its volume

(a high surface-to-volume ratio) to survive

-The Cell Cycle & Mitosis

-Cell Cycle (interphase mitosis cytokinesis)
-the time required for a cell to reproduce itself
-varies depending on the type of cell

mitosis is only one part of the cell cycle

-Stages of Interphase

-interphase = period between cell divisions

-Gap 1 (G1)
-cell growth & development
-DNA Synthesis (S)
-replication of DNA
-Gap 2 (G2)
-creation of materials needed for division

Doubling the nuclear material in the S-phase

 provides enough DNA to generate 2 complete
nuclei at the end of mitosis. This ensures that

-Stages of Mitosis

-mitosis = division of the nucleus

-Prophase
-chromosomes form
-nuclear membrane breaks down
-spindle forms

-Metaphase
-chromosomes line up in the center of the cell

-Anaphase
-centromeres split and chromatids are pulled to
opposite ends of the cell

-Telophase
-spindle breaks down
-chromosomes unwind
-nuclear membrane reforms
 telophase is essentially the opposite of prophase

-Methods of Splitting the Cell

-cytokinesis = division of the cytoplasm

-Plant vs. Animal Cells

-animal cells form a cleavage furrow
-the cell membrane pinches inward

-plant cells form a cell plate

-the rigid cell wall prevents an inward pinch

a "figure-eight" shape indicates a cleavage furrow