Which phase involves growth of the cytoplasm and preparation for DNA synthesis?

Which phase involves growth of the cytoplasm and preparation for DNA synthesis?

• A. G1
• B. G0
• C. S phase
• D. Mitosis

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is identifying the cell cycle phase where the cell grows and readies itself for copying its DNA. In this phase, the cytoplasm increases in size, the cell makes more proteins, and organelles duplicate, boosting overall metabolic activity so the cell can commit to DNA replication. This growth and preparation occur before DNA synthesis, and the process is checked at the G1/S checkpoint to confirm the cell is ready to proceed. After this, DNA replication happens in the S phase, followed by mitosis to divide the cell. Some cells can enter a non-dividing G0 state if they stop cycling. Thus, the phase described is G1.

The key idea here is identifying the cell cycle phase where the cell grows and readies itself for copying its DNA. In this phase, the cytoplasm increases in size, the cell makes more proteins, and organelles duplicate, boosting overall metabolic activity so the cell can commit to DNA replication. This growth and preparation occur before DNA synthesis, and the process is checked at the G1/S checkpoint to confirm the cell is ready to proceed. After this, DNA replication happens in the S phase, followed by mitosis to divide the cell. Some cells can enter a non-dividing G0 state if they stop cycling. Thus, the phase described is G1.