Final answer:
Anaphase is the stage in mitosis where sister chromatids are separated and move to opposite poles of the cell, ensuring each new daughter cell gets an identical set of chromosomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anaphase is characterized by the separation of the sister chromatids. This stage is the third phase of mitosis (and meiosis), during which the cohesin proteins that hold the sister chromatids together degrade and the centromeres divide. The separated chromatids, now referred to as individual chromosomes, are pulled to opposite poles of the cell by the shortening of the spindle fibers, a process akin to reeling in a fish. At the end of anaphase, each pole of the cell has a complete set of chromosomes, ensuring that the two new daughter cells will receive identical genetic material.