What are the different stages of mitosis and what do they consist of?

Mitosis can be grouped into four main stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.
Prophase: the chromosomes supercondense, the nuclear envelope disintegrates and the centrioles migrate to the poles of the cell.
Metaphase: the chromosomes line up at the equator of the cell, moved by spindle fibres (which are attached to the centromeres) from the centrioles.
Anaphase: the chromosomes are split at the centromeres and one half of each is pulled one pole, and the other to the other.
Telophase: the cell membrane constricts around the middle of the cell and the nuclear envelopes begin to appear around the chromosomes. Eventually the cell splits in two, forming two identical daughter cells with n genetic material.

HJ
Answered by Harry J. Biology tutor

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