Final answer:
Mitosis consists of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, which result in the division of the cell nucleus and the distribution of identical genetic material to two daughter cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mitosis enables cells to reproduce through a series of phases that ensure the resulting daughter cells have precise copies of genetic material. The process of mitosis includes four main phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase and is followed by cytokinesis.
- Prophase: Chromosomes condense and become visible. The nuclear envelope breaks down, and spindle fibers begin to form.
- Metaphase: Chromosomes align at the cell's equator, attached to the spindle fibers at their centromeres.
- Anaphase: Sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles.
- Telophase: Chromatids arrive at the poles, nuclear membranes re-form, and chromosomes begin to decondense. Cytokinesis then divides the cytoplasm, creating two daughter cells.
In prophase, the first stage of mitosis, chromosomes condense and become visible under a microscope as the nuclear envelope disintegrates. The spindle apparatus forms and attaches to the chromosomes. Next, in metaphase, chromosomes align along the metaphase plate, where they are prepared for separation. The third phase, anaphase, is crucial as the sister chromatids, previously joined at the centromere, are pulled apart by the spindle fibers and move toward the opposite poles of the cell.