Scanning

PROPHASE

Nuclear envelope

Chromosomes

Nucleolus
Figure 6.1 The onion root cell undergoing Prophase observe under microscope and the apparent
structures labelled.

Figure 6. 1 The images of onion root under HPO; the arrows indicating the cells
undergoing Prophase.
 The main appearance of cells undergoing prophase was observed under a
microscope,(Fig 6.1). In this stage (1) the chromosomes become shorter and thicker:
and their two-stranded nature becomes more visible; (2) The nuclear envelope
fragments and the nucleus disintegrates. The time Prophase accumulates is almost the
same as the time, the three remaining stages combined. The beginning of this phase is
marked by the appearance of chromosomes as faint threads in the nucleus. These
threads will gradually coil into thicker and shorter structures and then forming two-
strands, which are called chromatids. Chromatids are independently coiled and are
identical to each other. The coil condenses and tightens up until the chromosomes have
become thick, relatively short, and rodlike, with areas called centromeres holding each
pair of chromatids together. As Prophase progresses, the nucleolus gradually becomes
less noticeable and disintegrates. By the end of prophase, spindle fibers have
developed.
Metaphase

Telophase
Anaphase
 a.

2.

1.

5.
3.

4.

Fig. 6.2 a. The cells undergoing (1) prophase (2) metaphase and arrows indicating the
chromosomes. b. cell undergoing anaphase; arrows pointing on the visible structure
and regions during the division. (3) chromosomes (4) equator (5) poles.

B. Plants vs. Animal Cell Division

 Table 6.2 The differences between Animal and Plant in terms (a) of structures, location,
and appearance (b) process in mitotic stages.
a.

Differences Animal Plant

Shape becomes rounded before cell
division.
Induction of the mitosis specific hormone that induces
mitosis is unidentified
Centrosome formed during mitosis
do not change shape before cell
division.
cytokinin, a phytohormone that
can be found in all plants
induces mitosis.
not formed during mitosis

Asters in the Mitotic Apparatus mitotic apparatus consist of
asters
Spindle amphiastral, consisting of two
asters.
Centrioles organizes the mitotic spindle
mitotic apparatus does not have
asters.
anastral, do not contain aster.
do not have centrioles

Spindle at the Cytokinesis degenerates before the exist as the phragmoplast, a

beginning of cytokinesis structure serving as the scaffold
to the formation of the cell
during the cytokinesis.

Midbody appears during mitosis does not occur in mitosis

Cytokinesis occurs by cleavage occurs through formation of cell

plate
Location of process throughout the body occurs in meristems

Animal and plant mitosis is the type of cell division, which is used to increase the cell
number in a multicellular organism and incur growth. Both are producing two identical
daughter cells with the same amount of genetic material. Both processes occur through
four stages: prophase, metaphase anaphase, and telophase. The table above( Table
6.2) indicates the differences in process, structure, appearances, and location between
animal and plant cells.