Describe the processes that take place during each stage of mitosis.

During prophase chromatin condenses and supercoils, and so the chromosomes become visible. The nuclear envelope breaks down and the centrioles migrate to opposite poles of the cell and start to produce the spindle fibres. In metaphase the spindle fibres align the chromosomes up on the metaphase plate at the equator of the cell. Then during anaphase the centromeres holding the chromatids together divide, the spindle fibres shorten pulling the chromosomes apart and to the opposite sides of the cell. In the final stage of mitosis, telophase, the cell membrane cleaves and the nuclear envelope reforms, resulting in two new daughter cells. After mitosis cytokinesis takes place, this is where the cytoplasm divides and the cell membrane forms, giving two individual offspring.