EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◉ Describe mRNA Answer: transfers the genetic information from
DNA to ribosomes- site of protein synthesis
◉ What is a centrosome? Answer: the region that functions to
organize MT for cell division (anchor points for spindles). Are
composed of several filament and microtubule fibers with a pair of
centrioles located in the center
◉ What is a centriole? Answer: a short, cylindrical protein filament
composed of tubulin that plays a role in the formation of the mitotic
spindle
◉ What 2 phases make up the Mitotic Phase (M-phase)? Answer: 1.
Mitosis
2. Telophase/Cytokinesis
◉ What are asters? Answer: microtubules radiating from the
centrosome
,◉ What is the nucleolus? Answer: a small dense spherical structure
in the nucleus of a cell during interphase, responsible for
synthesizing ribosomal subunits for the cell to assemble complete,
functioning ribosomes
◉ What is the metaphase plate? Answer: an imaginary structure at
the midway point between the spindle's two poles
◉ What is a cleavage furrow? Answer: a groove in the plasma
membrane between daughter nuclei
◉ What is the cell cycle control system? Answer: a set of molecular
mechanisms that can either halt or permit the cell cycle to proceed.
◉ What are protein kinases? Answer: specialized enzymes that
phosphorylate (chemically add a phosphate group) other proteins to
activate or inactivate them
◉ What are dependent kinases (CdKs)? Answer: are kinases that
depend on the presence of cyclins to become active (i.e. MPF)
◉ What are growth factors? Answer: Proteins released by other cells
that stimulate cells to divide.
,◉ Describe density dependent inhibition Answer: cell surface
proteins signal to adjoining cells to stop dividing if they sense they
are being crowded. Even if growth factors are present, these
messengers can halt cell division
◉ Describe anchorage dependence Answer: cells must be physically
anchored to a surface (i.e., flask or extracellular matrix) to
proliferate
◉ What is a tumor? Answer: a mass of abnormal cells within normal
body tissue
◉ What is a benign tumor? Answer: A mass of cells that grows out of
control but remains at the site of origin (non-cancerous tumor)
◉ What is a malignant tumor? Answer: A mass of cancer cells that
can spread.
It grows rapidly and spreads to other tissues.
◉ What is metastasis? Answer: cancer cells leaving a tumor and
invading other parts of the body
◉ The chromosome that determines M/F is called? Answer: a sex
chromosome and can either be an X or Y
, ◉ What is makeup of a female? Answer: XX
◉ What is the makeup of a male? Answer: XY
◉ What is a karyotype? Answer: A display of every pair of
homologous chromosomes within a cell, organized according to size
and shape
◉ What is a homologous chromosome? Answer: one of 2 paired
chromosome one from each parent, carries genes for specific trait at
same location
◉ What are the two main phases of Meiosis? Answer: Meiosis I and
Meiosis II
◉ How is meiosis 1 characterized? What does it consist of? Answer:
Characterized as the separation of homologous chromosomes.
Consists of: Prophase 1, Metaphase 1, Anaphase 1, and Telophase 1
(including cytokinesis)
◉ Describe crossing over Answer: crossing over is when
homologous chromosomes exchange genetic information