Prometaphase

File:Prometaphase-flourescent.jpg

Prometaphase-flourescent

File:Prometaphase-flourescent2.jpg

Prometaphase-flourescent2

Prometaphase

Stages of early mitosis in a vertebrate cell with micrographs of chromatids

Prometaphase is a stage of mitosis in eukaryotic cell division that follows prophase and precedes metaphase. During prometaphase, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the chromosomes become more condensed. This stage is crucial for the proper alignment and separation of chromosomes.

Process

During prometaphase, several key events occur:

• The nuclear envelope disintegrates, allowing the spindle microtubules to interact with the chromosomes.
• The chromosomes become even more condensed and are now visible under a light microscope.
• Kinetochores, protein structures on the chromosomes, form at the centromeres. These kinetochores are essential for the attachment of the chromosomes to the spindle microtubules.
• The spindle apparatus is fully formed, and the microtubules begin to attach to the kinetochores of the chromosomes.

Significance

Prometaphase is critical for ensuring that each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes. The attachment of spindle microtubules to kinetochores is a key step in this process. Errors in this stage can lead to aneuploidy, a condition where cells have an abnormal number of chromosomes, which can cause various diseases, including cancer.

Related Stages of Mitosis

• Prophase
• Metaphase
• Anaphase
• Telophase
• Cytokinesis

Related Topics

• Cell cycle
• Chromosome
• Spindle apparatus
• Kinetochores
• Nuclear envelope
• Aneuploidy

See Also

• Meiosis
• Cell division
• Genetics

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