cell cycle

noun

1. the cycle of growth and asexual reproduction of a cell, consisting of interphase followed in actively dividing cells by prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

cell cycle

noun

1. the growth cycle of eukaryotic cells. It is divided into five stages, known as G 0 , in which the cell is quiescent, G 1 and G 2 , in which it increases in size, S, in which it duplicates its DNA, and M, in which it undergoes mitosis and divides

Word History and Origins

Origin of cell cycle¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

With so much at stake, nature keeps it tightly controlled in a process called the cell cycle that scientists thought they thoroughly understood.

From Science Daily

Scientists at UC San Francisco have discovered that cells can also use the cell cycle to control how they sprout hair-like projections called cilia.

From Science Daily

"This old dog -- the cell cycle -- is capable of more tricks than we realized."

From Science Daily

They captured them at different stages of maturity, hoping to glimpse the genetic instructions it takes to grow cilia and found a pattern that looked like the cell cycle.

From Science Daily

Previous studies had found that a few cell cycle proteins, called cyclins, were active during cilia growth, as well as centrioles, which anchor the two sets of chromosomes during cell division.

From Science Daily