You are interested in testing the effect of a drug on human cells. These cells have been sampled and evenly split into two separate cell cultures. You trigger cell division using a growth factor in both cell cultures. This synchronises the start of mitosis so you can easily detect the effect of the drug on the progress through the mitotic phases.
Immediately after mitosis begins, you expose one cell culture to the drug (treatment + drug) and compare their progress through the mitotic phases under the microscope to the cells that are not exposed to the drug (control - drug).
Here are your observations:
- Cells from both cell cultures lack their nuclear membranes.
- Individual chromosomes are clearly visible in both cell cultures
- Cells from the control culture (- drug) have their chromosomes aligned (see figure below)
- Cells from the treatment (+ drug) have their chromosomes dispersed in the cell (see figure below).
What effect does the drug have on the chromosomes? Indicate two consequences that the drug will have on the progress through the cell cycle.
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