Anaphase (image)
The phase of mitosis when the chromosomes pull apart toward opposite ends of the cell.
Anaphase is a stage of mitosis or meiosis in which chromosomes are separated and pulled towards opposite poles of the cell by microtubules. During anaphase, the sister chromatids, which were previously attached to each other by the centromere, are separated and begin to move towards the opposite poles of the cell.
In anaphase, the microtubules attached to the kinetochores of the chromosomes shorten, which pulls the sister chromatids apart. The microtubules not attached to the kinetochores elongate, pushing the poles of the cell further apart. This movement continues until the sister chromatids have fully separated and become individual chromosomes.
The general structure of anaphase can be observed in the image below. In this image, the chromosomes (stained blue) are being pulled towards opposite poles of the cell by the microtubules (red). The cells are also elongating due to the action of the microtubules on the spindle apparatus.
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