Chapter 9.2, Problem 6MI

Summary Introduction

To summarize:

The similarities and differences of any two phases of mitosis.

Introduction:

Mitosis is a form of eukaryotic cell division that produces two daughter cells with the same genetic component as the parent cell. Chromosomes replicated during the S phase are divided in such a way as to ensure that each daughter cell receives a copy of every chromosome. In actively dividing animal cells, the whole process takes about one hour.

Explanation of Solution

Mitosis represents a cell division that goes through several consecutive steps - prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase to form two daughter cells with an identical set of chromosomes.

Although all the steps in mitosis are more or less different there are some similarities between them.

This can be observed between Anaphase and Metaphase. Both of the steps have spindle fibers, yet they have different functions. Metaphase is used to align the chromosomes up in the middle of the cell (metaphase plate), while anaphase has the spindle fibers shorten and the chromatids of each chromosome located in the middle of the cell have separated and moved toward the poles.

During metaphase, chromosomes are arranged in the equatorial plane, whereas during anaphase, daughter chromosomes move towards the opposite poles of the spindle.