By: Gemma Lumpkin

Interphase, the first phase in cell division, is the “prep stage”. Interphase is when the cell is preparing to divide into two. The cell spends 90% of it’s life in Interphase. This is also when the cell doubles it’s DNA.

Mitosis, the second stage in cell division, is made of up four phases. ~Prophase ~Metaphase ~Anaphase ~Telophase Those phases are all the action of cell division.

Prophase is when the cell’s thin chromatin solidifies, forming chromosomes. As well as the nucleolus and nuclear membrane disappearing. The spindle fibers, which act as rope, hold on to the chromosomes as they float around the cell.

Metaphase is the stage where the chromosomes meet in the middle, still connected to the spindle fibers and prepare to break apart.

Anaphase is the phase when the chromosomes break in half and go to opposite sides of the cell. This is the first part of the cell dividing in two.

Telophase is the final stage of mitosis. The cell begins to split down the middle. In an animal cell, the cell will squeeze together in the middle, eventually breaking. But, in a plant cell, because of the cell wall, it forms a second cell membrane and wall down the middle, then splits in two.

Cytokinesis is simply the stage where the cells are just about to break apart into two and they spit the cytoplasm amount into halves between the two cells.