What happens during anaphase of mitosis?

During anaphase of mitosis, sister chromatids separate and move towards opposite ends of the cell.

Anaphase is the fourth phase of mitosis, the process that separates the duplicated genetic material carried in the nucleus of a parent cell into two identical daughter cells. During anaphase, the paired chromosomes (sister chromatids) that lined up along the middle of the cell during metaphase are pulled apart by the spindle fibres. These fibres, attached to a region called the centromere, shorten and pull the sister chromatids towards opposite poles of the cell.

This movement is facilitated by motor proteins that "walk" along the microtubules, pulling the chromosomes along. The centromeres split, and the sister chromatids—now individual chromosomes—move to opposite ends of the cell. The cell elongates in preparation for the next stage of mitosis, telophase.

Anaphase is a critical stage in cell division. Any errors during this phase, such as chromosomes not separating properly, can lead to genetic disorders because the resulting cells will have abnormal numbers of chromosomes. Therefore, the precise and coordinated movement of chromosomes during anaphase is crucial for the proper inheritance of genetic material.

In summary, anaphase is a key stage in mitosis where the cell's genetic material is carefully divided before the cell itself divides. This ensures that each new cell has the correct number of chromosomes.