CELL CYCLE AND CANCER - AQA Biology A-Level/AS

Cell Cycle has three main stages:

1. interphase - rest/no division is taking place

2. nuclear division - when nucleas divides

3. cytokinesis - cytoplasm divides to give either 2 or 4 new cells.

Gap phase 1 - cell grows and new organelles and proteins are made.

Synthesis phase - cell replicates its DNA ready for mitosis

Gap phase 2 - cell continues to grow and proteins needed for cell division are made.

Cancer and control of Mitosis

Cancer is caused by a growth disorder of cells. 

Genes control mitosis and the cell cycle - when there is damage to the genes (mutation) it can lead to the cells to replicate too much and cells grow out of control.  Usually, a cell stops dividing when it has…