Final answer:
Prophase and telophase are opposite phases of cell division; prophase involves chromosome condensation and spindle formation, while in telophase, chromosomes decondense, nuclear envelopes reform, and the cell begins to divide.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of cell division, prophase and telophase can indeed be characterized as opposite stages. During prophase, the first stage of both mitosis and meiosis, chromosomes condense from loosely packed chromatin and become visible. Additionally, the nuclear envelope begins to disintegrate, and the spindle apparatus starts to form. Conversely, telophase is the final stage of these processes, in which the chromosomes that have been separated to opposite poles of the cell begin to decondense back into chromatin, nuclear envelopes re-form around each set of chromosomes, and the spindle apparatus is disassembled. Essentially, the events that take place in prophase are reversed during telophase, leading to the re-establishment of the nuclei in the newly formed daughter cells.