Phases of Mitosis (and more)

Interphase

- cell's day-to-day life.
- nuclear membrane is still intact
- chromosomes replicated, but aren't condensed (not visible)

Prophase

- chromosomes condense
- nuclear membrane starts to dissolve
- centromeres create microtubules at opposite ends of cell

Prometaphase

- microtubules span the whole cell's length (mitotic spindle)
- whole nuclear membrane is gone

Metaphase

- spindle fibers play "tug of war" and move chromosomes to middle of cell
- spindle fibers do this by grabbing onto the kinetochore

Anaphase

- tug of war continues to a point where chromosomes are split apart
- spindle fibers elongate cell

Telophase

- cell keeps elongating
- chromosomes are spread out again (not condensed)
- nuclear membrane & nucleolus begin to form again

Cytokinesis

parent cell splits into 2 daughter cells
- Plants: cell plate and cell wall is created between 2 daughter cells