Final answer:
During anaphase of mitosis, a rat cell, which normally has 42 chromosomes (21 pairs), would have a total of 84 separated chromosomes. As each chromosome has two telomeres, one at each end, the total number of telomeres in a rat cell during anaphase would be 168.
Step-by-step explanation:
Total Number of Telomeres in a Rat Cell during Anaphase of Mitosis
To determine the total number of telomeres in a rat cell during anaphase of mitosis, we must understand the structure of chromosomes and the process of cell division. A typical rat cell, being a mammal, has a diploid set of chromosomes, which means it has two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent. Prior to mitosis, during the S phase of the cell cycle, chromosomes are replicated, and each chromosome consists of two identical sister chromatids that are linked at a region known as the centromere, with each chromatid possessing a telomere at each of its ends.
In anaphase of mitosis, the sister chromatids separate and move towards opposite poles of the cell. At this point, each chromatid is considered a separate chromosome. Since a rat has 42 chromosomes (21 pairs), after replication and separation of chromatids, there are a total of 84 chromosomes in anaphase. Consequently, there would be 168 telomeres in total because each chromosome has a telomere at each of its two ends.
The telomerase enzyme, which is active in certain cells like germ cells, stem cells, and some cancer cells, is responsible for maintaining these telomere ends by adding repetitive sequences to them. This prevents the chromosome ends from deteriorating or fusing with neighboring chromosomes. The telomere's structure and maintenance are crucial for cellular aging and genome stability.