Question

What would happen if the process of mitosis skipped metaphase?

Answer 1

Mitosis is a division of a single cell into two identical daughter cells. It consists of four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase and cytokinesis. During metaphase, sister chromatids join together in the middle of the cell, so that during anaphase they can separate from each other to the opposite sides of the cells where they will represent future "nucleus" of the daughter cells. However, is metaphase was skipped, sister chromatids would not join in the middle, and consequently, they would not separate in anaphase. One of the possible consequences is that mitosis will stop and the cell would not divide. On the other hand, it could lead to unequal distribution of chromatids, so one cell will get both copies of chromosomes and the other will lack in chromosomes, which is lethal in both situations.