Cell Biology
Checkpoint (Cell Cycle)
Control points in the cell cycle where the cell verifies that conditions are correct before proceeding. Checkpoints prevent damaged or incomplete cells from dividing.
Biological Context
Major checkpoints occur at G1 (before DNA replication), G2 (before mitosis), and M (during mitosis). Checkpoints verify DNA integrity, adequate cell size, and proper chromosome attachment. Checkpoint failure allows damaged cells to proliferate—a hallmark of cancer.
Business Application
Business checkpoints: stage gates in product development, approval processes before major decisions, quality checks before shipping. Like cellular checkpoints, they prevent flawed outputs from proceeding and causing larger problems.