Which statement describes the events taking place during the anaphase stage of mitosis?

• A. Sister chromatids are separated and pulled toward opposite poles of the cell.
• B. The nuclear envelope reforms around each set of chromosomes.
• C. Chromosomes align along the metaphase plate at the center of the cell.
• D. Chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes and the mitotic spindle begins to form.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the stages of mitosis. Mitosis is divided into several phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. Each phase has distinct events that occur within the cell.
2. Step 2: Focus on the anaphase stage specifically. During anaphase, the sister chromatids (identical copies of a chromosome) are separated. This separation is facilitated by the shortening of spindle fibers attached to the centromeres of the chromatids.
3. Step 3: The separated sister chromatids are pulled toward opposite poles of the cell. This ensures that each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes during cell division.
4. Step 4: Compare the provided statements to the events of anaphase. The correct description of anaphase is: 'Sister chromatids are separated and pulled toward opposite poles of the cell.'
5. Step 5: Eliminate the other options by matching them to their respective mitotic stages. For example, 'The nuclear envelope reforms around each set of chromosomes' occurs during telophase, 'Chromosomes align along the metaphase plate at the center of the cell' occurs during metaphase, and 'Chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes and the mitotic spindle begins to form' occurs during prophase.