Mitosis

Stages of Mitosis:
Interphase:
- The chromosomes in the nucleus are a long network of thin filaments or threads. These are
called chromatin. Before the prophase begins, replications occur to for pairs of sister
chromosomes/chromatids. The DNA within the chromosomes gets synthesised during only
this phase, and not when mitosis is in progress.
Prophase,
- The two chromosomes are still attached at the centromere, and each of them have
contracted into a compact coiled body. The nucleolus envelops and breaks down until it
eventually disappears. During prophase, the spindle also begins to form. Within animal cells,
centrioles begin to separate along with radiating bundles of fibres (asters) appears around
them. Spindle fibres run from one centriole to the other. Within plant cells the spindle forms
without centrioles.
Metaphase,
- The chromosomes form into a line in the middle of the two ends of the spindle. It is called
the equatorial plane and marks the spot in which the cell will divide into two when nuclear
division is completed. The chromosomes are attached to the fibres of the spindle at the
centromeres.
Anaphase,
- During this phase the two chromosomes separate and move to opposite sides, almost pulled
across by the spindle fibres by the centromeres.
Telophase,
- During this phase a new nuclear forms around the two groups of the daughter chromosomes
and the new nucleoi begin to appear and when this is completed the fibres of the spindle
disappear. Then the chromosomes uncoil and then assume the distribution within the
interphased nucleus.
Daughter Cells/Cytokinesis,
- This can begin before or after mitosis has been completed. This phase separates the
daughter nuclei into to individual daughter cells.
What is a chromosome?
The two-metre DNA molecule is packed into thread-like structures called chromosomes. The DNA is
tightly coiled up within the chromosome around proteins called histones which are there to support
its structure.
What is DNA?
DNA is the hereditary material in almost all organisms. Almost every cell in the human body has the
same DNA and the DNA can be found in the cell nucleus but small amounts of DNA can also be found
in the mitochondria.

Information within the DNA is stored as a code which is made up of four chemical bases, A,G,C and
T. Human DNA is made up of around 3 billion bases and 99 percent of these bases are the same
across all humans. The sequence of these bases determines the information used to build an
organism.

Bases of DNA pair up with each other. A goes with T and C goes with G. These are called base pairs.
The bases are attached to a sugar molecule and a phosphate molecule.

When a base, sugar and phosphate are all together it is called a nucleotide, which are arranged in
two long strands which form the double helix. It is formed like a ladder, as the base pairs forming the
rungs and the sugar molecules along with the phosphate molecules form the vertical sides of the
ladder.