Review of the Cell Cycle: Study with Video Lessons, Practice Problems & Examples

To memorize the steps of the cell cycle, use the mnemonic "I party particularly more at the club," representing Interphase, Prophase, Prometaphase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, and Cytokinesis. In Prophase, chromatin condenses into chromosomes, while in Prometaphase, the nuclear envelope breaks down. Metaphase aligns chromosomes at the cell's center, Anaphase separates sister chromatids, and Telophase reforms the nuclear envelope. Cytokinesis completes cell division by dividing the cytoplasm, resulting in two distinct cells.

Memorizing the Steps of the Cell Cycle

In this video, we're going to do a review of the cell cycle by specifically talking about how you guys can memorize the steps of the cell cycle. And so here at Clutch Prep, we've come up with a really creative and interesting way to help you guys memorize the steps of the cell cycle. And so when you're trying to memorize the steps of the cell cycle, really, all you need to do is think about Club Procreate here. And so notice that we're showing you this disco ball here and these people partying in Club Procreate. And so I don't know about you guys, but I party particularly more at the club. And so if you can remember, I party particularly more at the club, then you'll be able to remember the steps of the cell cycle in the correct order. And so, of course, the I in here is going to represent the I in interphase. Then the p in party represents the p in prophase. The p in particularly represents the p in prometaphase. And, of course, you know that prophase is going to come before everything and prometaphase comes just before metaphase. And then, of course, the m in more represents the m in metaphase, the a in at represents the a in anaphase, the t in the represents the t in telophase, and the c in the club represents the c in cytokinesis. And so notice here that, we're also showing you some of the images of the events that occur in each of these phases. And so, you can see how in prophase here, the loosely coiled chromatin is going to condense into tightly coiled chromosomes. The centrosome is going to begin to, to move to opposite poles and start to form the mitotic spindle. Notice in prometaphase, the nucleus and nucleolus are going to disappear and break down. The centrosome are going to form mitotic spindles that ultimately attach to the chromosomes. In metaphase, the chromosomes are going to align in the middle of the cell. In anaphase, the sister chromatids are going to get pulled apart from one another. And in telophase, the tail end here, basically going to be the opposite events of prophase and prometaphase where the nucleus and nucleolus reform, the mitotic spindle breaks down and, the chromosomes are going to begin to unwind into the loosely coiled chromatin. And then, of course, mitosis only ends with a single cell. So notice there's just a single cell here that has 2 nuclei. And so in order for the complete cell division to occur, mitosis needs to be followed up by cytokinesis and cytokinesis is division of the cytoplasm which is going to fully separate the 2 cells. And so again, this here is just a review of the cell cycle, and by remembering, I party particularly more at the club, hopefully that can help you remember the steps of the cell cycle in the correct order. So this here concludes this video and I'll see you all in our next one.

Movement of the chromosomes during anaphase would be most affected by a drug that:

a) Prevents the formation of a cleavage furrow.

b) Prevents the formation of the nuclear envelope.

c) Prevents elongation of microtubules.

d) Prevents shortening of microtubules.

• A. Prevents the formation of a cleavage furrow.
• B. Prevents the formation of the nuclear envelope.
• C. Prevents elongation of microtubules.
• D. Prevents shortening of microtubules.

Cytokinesis usually follows mitosis. If a cell completed mitosis but not cytokinesis, the result would be:

a) A cell with a single large nucleus.

b) A cell with high concentrations of actin and myosin.

c) A cell with two abnormally small nuclei.

d) A cell with two completely identical nuclei.

e) A cell with two non-identical nuclei with half the amount of DNA.

• A. A cell with a single large nucleus.
• B. A cell with high concentrations of actin and myosin.
• C. A cell with two abnormally small nuclei.
• D. A cell with two completely identical nuclei.
• E. A cell with two non-identical nuclei with half the amount of DNA.

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What are the main stages of the cell cycle and their order?

The main stages of the cell cycle, in order, are Interphase, Prophase, Prometaphase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, and Cytokinesis. A helpful mnemonic to remember this sequence is 'I party particularly more at the club.' Interphase is where the cell prepares for division. Prophase involves the condensation of chromatin into chromosomes. In Prometaphase, the nuclear envelope breaks down. Metaphase aligns chromosomes at the cell's center. Anaphase separates sister chromatids. Telophase reforms the nuclear envelope, and Cytokinesis completes cell division by dividing the cytoplasm, resulting in two distinct cells.

What happens during Prophase in the cell cycle?

During Prophase, several key events occur: the chromatin condenses into tightly coiled chromosomes, making them visible under a microscope. The centrosomes begin to move to opposite poles of the cell, and the mitotic spindle starts to form. This stage sets the foundation for the subsequent steps of mitosis by organizing the chromosomes and preparing the cell for their separation.

How does Cytokinesis differ from Mitosis?

Cytokinesis is the process that follows Mitosis and involves the division of the cytoplasm to form two distinct daughter cells. While Mitosis is concerned with the division of the nucleus and its contents (chromosomes), Cytokinesis ensures that the cytoplasm and organelles are evenly distributed between the two new cells. Mitosis ends with a single cell containing two nuclei, and Cytokinesis completes the cell division by physically separating the cell into two individual cells.

What is the significance of Metaphase in the cell cycle?

Metaphase is a crucial stage in the cell cycle where the chromosomes align at the metaphase plate, which is the cell's equatorial plane. This alignment ensures that each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes. The mitotic spindle fibers attach to the centromeres of the chromosomes, preparing them for separation. Proper alignment and attachment are essential for accurate chromosome segregation during Anaphase.

What changes occur in the cell during Telophase?

During Telophase, several important changes occur: the nuclear envelope reforms around each set of separated sister chromatids, now individual chromosomes, creating two distinct nuclei. The chromosomes begin to de-condense back into loosely coiled chromatin. The mitotic spindle breaks down, and the cell prepares for the final step of division, Cytokinesis. Telophase essentially reverses the changes that occurred during Prophase and Prometaphase.