Early prophase:
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Two centrosomes (black dot) visible
Spindles (white sunray looking structures) around centrosomes.
Nuclear membrane intact
No other organelles visible.
Late Prophase:
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Centrosomes start moving in opposite direction (cell poles).
Spindles are visibly thick (pink coloration)
Nuclear membrane starts to disassemble.
Prometaphase:
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Centrosomes have reached the poles and make initial contact with chromosome.
Nuclear membrane completely disassembles.
Metaphase:
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Chromosomes are aligned around a central axis called as the metaphase plate (M plate)
Spindle fibers are maximum in number (abundance of pink)
Early Anaphase:
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Spindle fibers gently pull apart the chromosomes. This is where physical separation of genetic
material starts happening.
Late Anaphase:
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The separation of chromosomes deepens as they start marching towards the opposite poles.
The centrosomes are active and are pulling the genetic material via the spindle fibers.
Early Telophase:
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The cleavage furrow (curves to the left and right) starts deepening.
The nuclear membrane starts forming around the poles.
The spindle fibers start becoming inactive (red lines = active, white line = inactive, pink =
combination of active and inactive spindles) in this phase.
Late telophase:
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The cleavage furrow deepens, and the physical boundary of separation (beige line in the middle) is
visible.
The nuclear membrane is completely formed, with the genetic material secured inside.
The chromosomes will eventually disappear and remain as DNA, chromatin or nucleosomes.
Cytokinesis succeeds this step.