Stages of mitosis

• Prophase, the first stage of mitosis. Chromosomes condense and become visible, spindle fibers emerge from the Centrosomes, nuclear envelope breaks down and the nucleolus disappears.
• Metaphase, the second stage of mitosis. Mitotic spindle is fully developed, centrosomes are at opposite poles of the cell, chromosomes are lined up at the middle or in the metaphase plate and each sister chromatid is attached to a spindle fiber originating from opposite pole.
• Anaphase, the third stage of mitosis. Cohesion proteins binding the sister chromatids together break down, sister chromatids move away toward opposite poles and non-kinetochore spindle fibers lengthen, elongating the cell.
• Telophase, fifth step in mitosis, chromosomes arrive at opposite poles and begin to decondense, nuclear envelope material surrounds each set of chromosomes and the mitotic spindle breaks down.
• Cytokinesis, the final step of mitosis. Animal cells: a cleavage furrow separates the daughter cells. Plant cell: a cell plate separates the daughter cells.