Final answer:
In mitosis, sister chromatids are separated during anaphase, while in meiosis, sister chromatids are separated during anaphase II of meiosis II. This question specifically pertains to the separation stages of cell division, with the correct answer being option 4) anaphase; anaphase II.
Step-by-step explanation:
In mitosis, sister chromatids are separated during anaphase, while sisters are separated in anaphase II of meiosis. Therefore, the correct answer to the question provided is 4) anaphase; anaphase II. During the process of cell division, specifically mitosis and meiosis, chromosomes and chromatids must be accurately separated to ensure that each daughter cell inherits the proper set of genetic information. In mitosis, the sister chromatids, which are identical copies of each chromosome, are separated into two new nuclear regions during anaphase.
In the context of meiosis, which occurs in two stages, meiosis I and meiosis II, the separation events are distinct. During anaphase I of meiosis I, it is the homologous chromosomes that separate, which are not identical but carry the same types of genes from each parent. On the other hand, anaphase II of meiosis II is when the sister chromatids finally separate, analogous to what happens in mitotic anaphase.
The consequent phases of telophase I and II then follow respectively, finalizing the cellular division processes and ensuring that a haploid set of chromosomes is packaged into the resulting gametes during meiosis, or a diploid set into the daughter cells during mitosis, thereby maintaining genetic stability across cell generations.