explain Karyokinesis and phases involve in it
Answers
A) Karyokinesis: It is the division of nuclear material.
It occurs in four stages as follows:
i) Prophase (Gr. Pro – before, phases – appearance)
• It is the longest phase. During this phase the chromatin is organized into distinct chromosomes by
coiling or spiralization.
• The centrioles develop into asters and move towards the opposite poles of the cell to establish the
plane of cell division.
• Spindle apparatus begin to appear
• Nucleolus and Nuclear membrane disintegrate and disappear
• The chromosomes are set free in the cytoplasm.
ii) Metaphase (Meta – after, phase – appearance)
• Spindle fibres are completely formed
• The chromosome become short and thick with two distinct chromatids each
• All the chromosomes move towards the centre of the cell and arrange in the equatorial
plane, right angles to the position of asters to form metaphasic plate
• Chromosomes are attached to spindle fibres at their centromeres
Iii) Anaphase (ana – up, phases - appearance)
• The centromere of all the chromosomes undergo longitudinal splitting and the
chromatids of each chromosome separate to form daughter chromosomes
• The daughter chromosomes move toward the opposite poles from the equator by the activity of spindle fibres
Iv) Telophase (Telo – end, phases – appearance)
During this, the events of prophase will be reversed
• The daughter chromosomes reach the opposite poles
• The chromosomes undergo despiralization to form long, thin thread like structures called chromatin