Chp 8

Why This Chapter Matters

1. Cell replication is a normal part of maintaining a healthy body.

2. Mitosis and meiosis permit asexual and sexual reproduction.

3. Errors in cell division can lead to cancer, infertility, abortion, or the production of children with serious genetic disorders.

4. Understanding the details of cell division helps us recognize the causes of these problems and helps us develop better strategies to address the challenges they produce.

Chapter Objectives

Biology and Society: Virgin Birth of a Dragon

1. Explain what is unusual about Komodo dragon reproduction.

What Cell Reproduction Accomplishes

2. Describe the roles of cell division in living organisms.

3. Compare the cellular processes and cellular products of asexual and sexual reproduction.

The Cell Cycle and Mitosis

4. Describe the basic structure of a chromosome. Explain how DNA is packaged into an elaborate, multilevel system of coiling and folding.

5. Explain how and when chromosomes are duplicated.

6. Describe the key events of each phase of the cell cycle.

7. Describe the key events of each phase of mitosis.

8. Compare the processes of cytokinesis in animal and plant cells.

9. Describe how the cell cycle control system normally functions and explain the consequences of errors in this system.

10. Explain how cancer cells are different from healthy cells of the body.

11. Distinguish between benign and malignant tumors. Explain what is meant by the “slash, burn, and poison” approach to treating cancer.

12. Explain how you can reduce your risks of developing cancer.

Meiosis, the Basis of Sexual Reproduction

13. Distinguish between the following pairs of terms: sex chromosomes versus autosomes, somatic cells versus gametes, and diploid versus haploid cells.

14. Explain why the production of haploid gametes is necessary in sexually reproducing organisms.

15. Compare the processes and products of meiosis I and meiosis II.

16. Compare the overall processes and products of meiosis and mitosis.

17. Explain how independent assortment of chromosomes during meiosis, random fertilization, and crossing over contribute to genetic diversity in offspring.

18. Describe the consequences of nondisjunction in autosomes and sex chromosomes.

Evolution Connection: The Advantages of Sex

19. Explain why asexual and sexual reproduction are adaptive.