Stage of mitosis in which Chromosomes split apart
The stage of mitosis in which chromosomes split apart is called anaphase. In anaphase, the two sister chromatids that make up each chromosome separate and move towards opposite ends of the cell. This separation ensures that each daughter cell will receive a complete set of chromosomes during cell division.
The stage of mitosis in which chromosomes split apart is called "anaphase." During anaphase, the sister chromatids (identical copies of each chromosome) separate and move towards opposite ends of the cell.
To understand how chromosomes split apart during anaphase, it is helpful to first have a basic understanding of mitosis. Mitosis is the process by which eukaryotic cells divide and create two identical daughter cells. It consists of several stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
During prophase, the chromosomes condense and become visible. The nuclear membrane also breaks down, and the spindle fibers begin to form. In metaphase, the chromosomes align in the middle of the cell, forming a structure known as the metaphase plate. The spindle fibers attach to the centromeres of the chromosomes.
Now, let's get to anaphase. Anaphase is the third stage of mitosis, and it starts when the protein structures called "cohesin" that hold the sister chromatids together at the centromere are cleaved by an enzyme called separase. This separation of the sister chromatids allows them to become independent chromosomes.
The spindle fibers, which are composed of microtubules, begin to shorten. As they shorten, they pull the separated chromatids towards opposite poles of the cell. This movement occurs due to the depolymerization of the microtubules at the kinetochore, a protein structure located at the centromere.
As the separated chromosomes move towards opposite ends of the cell, the cell elongates. Eventually, anaphase ends when the chromosomes reach the poles of the cell, marking the completion of the separation process.
In summary, anaphase is the stage of mitosis in which the sister chromatids separate and move towards opposite ends of the cell. This separation is facilitated by the shortening of spindle fibers, which pull the chromosomes apart.