How would you be able to identify an onion root tip cell undergoing cytokinesis?

• A. The cell has a visible cell plate forming between the two daughter nuclei.
• B. The spindle fibers are pulling the sister chromatids apart.
• C. The nuclear envelope is re-forming around the separated chromosomes.
• D. The chromosomes are aligned at the metaphase plate.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Begin by understanding the process of cytokinesis in plant cells, such as those in an onion root tip. Cytokinesis is the final step of cell division where the cytoplasm divides, resulting in two daughter cells.
2. Recognize that in plant cells, cytokinesis involves the formation of a cell plate. This is a structure that develops at the site where the cell will divide, eventually becoming the new cell wall between the two daughter cells.
3. Observe the cell under a microscope. Look for a visible cell plate forming between the two daughter nuclei. This is a key indicator that the cell is undergoing cytokinesis.
4. Differentiate cytokinesis from other stages of cell division. For example, during metaphase, chromosomes are aligned at the metaphase plate, and during anaphase, spindle fibers pull sister chromatids apart. These are not characteristics of cytokinesis.
5. Identify additional features of cytokinesis, such as the reformation of the nuclear envelope around separated chromosomes, which indicates the completion of mitosis and the transition to cytokinesis.