Printed from Biology101.org

meiosis ---- the process that produces haploid reproductive cells in eukaryotes
mitosis ---- the process by which a eukaryotic cell replicates its DNA and divides into two identical cells
prophase ---- the first phase of mitosis where the nuclear envelope breaks down, centrioles move to opposite poles and chromosomes condense
metaphase ---- the state of mitosis when the centromeres of each chromosome have reached the center of the cell
anaphase ---- the stage of mitosis when sister chromosomes are being pulled to opposite poles by the spindle fibers
telophase ---- the phase of mitosis when the nuclear enelope begins to form and spindle fibers break down right before cytokinesis
kinetochore ---- the protein structure that forms on top of each centromere and to which the spindle fibers connect
centromere ---- the region of the chromosome that the spindle fibers (and kinetochore) attach to
chromosome ---- the large structures made of DNA and histone proteins which contain many genes that carry the hereditary information
chromatin ---- the term for chromosomes when they are relatively unwound and less visisble during interphase
centrosome ---- the region where the centrioles are located
centrioles ---- the cellular structures which spindle fibers attach to at opposite poles of the cell
interphase ---- the portion of the cell cycle when the cell is not going through mitosis or meiosis
S phase ---- the portion of interphase when the chromosomes (DNA) are being replicated
chiasma ---- the structures visible where homologous chromosomes have crossed over
crossing over ---- a process where homologous chromosomes swap portions of similar DNA through recombination
synaptonemal complex ---- a structure which forms between homologous chromosomes during Prophase I of Meiosis
Meiosis I ---- the portion of Meiosis when homologous chromosomes pair, cross over and then separate to opposite poles
terminalization ---- when the chiasma move towards the end of the chromosomes (near the completion of Prophase I of Meiosis)
sister chromatids ---- the copies of each chromosome which are paired at the centromere during Meiosis and Mitosis
homologous chromosomes ---- pairs of chromosomes which exist in any diploid cell that have the same genes (but possibly different versions or alleles)
p arm ---- the short arm of the chromosome (the chromosome is divided in two regions by the centromere)
q arm ---- the long arm of the chromosome (the chromosome is divided in two regions by the centromere)