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Multiple Choice
During which phase of mitosis do the chromatid pairs separate to opposite ends of the cell?
A
Telophase
B
Prophase
C
Anaphase
D
Metaphase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the process of mitosis, which is the division of a single cell into two genetically identical daughter cells. Mitosis consists of several phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
In prophase, the chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes, and the mitotic spindle begins to form. The nuclear envelope starts to break down.
During metaphase, the chromosomes align at the metaphase plate, which is an imaginary line equidistant from the two spindle poles.
Anaphase is the phase where the sister chromatids are pulled apart by the spindle fibers and move toward opposite poles of the cell. This separation ensures that each new cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes.
In telophase, the separated chromatids reach the opposite poles, and the nuclear envelope re-forms around each set of chromosomes, which begin to de-condense back into chromatin.