The continuation of the genetic make-up of a species relies on the information on the chromosomes being efficiently and correctly passed down generation to generation. Describe the processes by which cells are able to pass down their genetic inheritance. Include in your discussion the phases of the cell cycle, the process of mitosis (including what occurs during each phase), and the cell’s ability to regulate its own division. Further, occasionally, when a cell is unable to properly replicate its DNA or there is an error in the attachments of microtubules to kinetochores, there may be alterations chromosomes of the daughter cells. Describe the varied ways in which chromosomes may be altered between parent cells and daughter cells in meiosis. Include in your discussion aneuploidy, polyploidy, 4-5 types of chromosome mutations, and what the consequences of each are for plants and animals.
