The Cell cycle

What controls the life and development of a cell?

Why?
An old piece of poetry says “to everything there is a season... a time to be born, a time to die.”
For cells, the line might say “a time to divide and a time to grow.” In multicellular organisms,
different types of cells have different roles and need to complete specific tasks. For example, a
cell that isn’t large enough is not useful for storing nutrients for later, but a cell that is too large
will not be useful for transportation through a tiny capillary. In this activity, you will learn about
the seasons of a cell’s life, and in turn better understand how organisms function.

Model 1 - The Cell Cycle

Use the printed copy of the document The Cell Cycle - A Visual
Summary to summarize your answers on a single page

Gap 1 = G1, Gap 2 = G2, S = Synthesis, M = Mitosis

Interphase = G1, S, G2
1. Discuss: How many phases are in the cell cycle as shown in the diagram in Model 1?
4

2. Discuss: Starting at the starred cell, what is the order of the stages of a cell’s life?
Gap 1 -> synthesis-> gap 2-> mitosis
 3. During which phase(s) does the size of the cell increase? Label this on your diagram
(e.g. write “cell size increases” and draw a line connecting it to the correct phase.)
Gap 1 (the majority of the cells increases) and Gap 2

4. During which phase does the number of cells increase? Label this on your diagram
(e.g. write “number of cells increase” and draw a line connecting it to the correct phase.)
At the end of mitosis

5. Considering your answer to Questions 3 and 4, discuss two ways that the growth of a
multicellular organism can be accomplished through the events of the cell cycle.
- Interphase prepares the cell for cell duplication and for the cell to divide by providing the
space for the nucleus and the organelles.

6. Cancer, the uncontrolled growth of cells, often results in a tumor, or mass of abnormal
cells. Some cancerous tumors consist of many cells that are much smaller than normal.
According to Model 1, what part(s) of the cell cycle is (are) most likely being affected?
Label the phase most likely to be affected by cancer. Discuss: why do you think this
phase is affected?
Gap 1 cause it is mostly affected because it isn’t going through the stage fully or
properly.

Model 2 - Cell Cycle Data

Phase Key Process Time Interval Sets of DNA present in Number of organelles
(hours) each cell at end of in each cell at end of
phase phase

Gap 1 Cell growth and normal 11 1 560

functions

Synthesis DNA Replication 8 2 570

Gap 2 Protein and organelle 4 2 600

synthesis

Mitosis Cell and nuclear splitting 1 1 300

Total time: 24

7. Discuss: If a culture in the lab starts with one human cell, how many cells will there be
after 24 hours? Draw a label to the second cell at the end of Mitosis (the one
without the star) and write how long it takes most human cells to divide.

8. Discuss: Is the original cell “dead” or does it disappear after mitosis? Be able to explain
your answer to your teacher!
No. the parent cells split into two so each of the daughter cells will have half of
their parent cells. The parent cell lives on.
 9. Occasionally cells stop dividing and enter another phase, G0. If you damage your liver,
new liver cells can be produced to replace up to 75% of the liver. However, if you sustain
brain damage, your body does not produce new brain cells. Discuss: Explain this
observation using what you have learned about the cell cycle.

Because they are stuck before the mitosis process happens.

10. Keeping in mind the events of each part of the cell cycle, discuss: where do you think
cells could go into G0? Hint: Think of a place in the cell cycle where the cell is
functioning normally, but not preparing to divide. Label with a double arrow where
those cells might (either temporarily or permanently) exit the cell cycle to G0 and
then re-enter. Label this as G0 and write a few words about what happens in this
stage.

Model 3 - Radiation

11. Using a different colour, add a label to show ultraviolet light affecting the cell as
seen in the picture above. Discuss: According to Model 3, ultraviolet light is affecting a
cell in which phase of the cell cycle?
G1
 12. Ultraviolet light may cause DNA damage, which is known as a mutation. Discuss: How
might such damage affect events taking place during the synthesis phase? Draw a label
coming from the word ultraviolet light to explain what could happen if it hits the
cell (and affects DNA).

Read This!
The cell cycle has a regular system of checks and balances that prevents damaged or mutated
cells from proceeding to the next phase. One way an organism deals with the problems is to kill
the damaged cell before it passes on the problem to its daughter cells. This is a normal process
called apoptosis. (Some normal cells also go through this process.)

13. Discuss: How might the DNA damage go on to affect the rest of the cell cycle if cells
continue to divide? Why might it be beneficial to an organism for damaged cells to enter
G0 instead of dividing once they exist? Using the same colour you used for the
ultraviolet light label, add a label to G0 explaining how this phase helps prevent
damaged cells from hurting you.
It’s beneficial to an organism for damaged cells to enter G0 because in G0, the cell
stops dividing and stays in the phase where it functions normally and does not prepare
to divide. And by not dividing, the mutation doesn’t replicate anymore.

14. Chemotherapy utilises chemicals that disrupt various parts of the cell cycle, targeting
rapidly growing cells. Paclitaxel (Taxol®) is one such drug that prevents the mitosis
phase from taking place.
a. Discuss: how is this drug useful as a cancer treatment? Add a side note to
your label for cancer to show what chemotherapy drugs do.

Cancer cells are rapidly growing and the drug above targets rapidly
growing cells. So, the drug can prevent cancer cells from
replicating/growing.

b. Discuss: How might targeting rapidly growing cells stop a tumor? Why do people
have common chemotherapy side effects such as hair loss? Add branches from
your chemotherapy drug label to show how this affects tumours and other
fast growing cells.

Hair loss occurs due to the drug targeting and stopping mitosis in rapidly
growing cancer cells. Since hair follicle stem cells are rapidly growing,
mitosis in hair follicle stem cells are also targeted causing hair loss.

Extension Questions
15. For each phase, discuss at least one way mistakes during the cell cycle could result in
problems. (Be prepared to share your answers)
G1

S Affects dna replication, more mutations

G2

M Cells wouldn’t divide into two equal nuclei.

G0