Anaphase is a stage of cell division where chromatids break off and migrate to the ends of the cell. It is part of the five-step process of cell division, which can result in two identical copies or four cells with complementary DNA. Errors during anaphase or other stages can cause genetic disorders or malignancies.
Anaphase is a stage of cell division in which two sister copies of DNA called chromatids break off and their respective chromosomes migrate to the ends of the cell. This happens in all eukaryotic cells, or cells belonging to complex multicellular organisms, during the cell division processes called mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, the end result is two identical copies of a parent cell. Meiosis creates four cells from a mixture of genetic material, each containing half the chromosomes needed to make an adult organism.
Cell division is a five-step process. It begins with interphase, progresses to prophase, and is followed by metaphase to prepare for anaphase, which ends in telophase. At each step, the cell performs certain actions to facilitate the duplication of genetic material and the generation of daughter cells. Stages before anaphase duplicate chromosomes in the cell to create a set of chromatids. They also allow the cell to develop a spindle, a structure that functions during cell division to separate chromatids and pull the resulting chromosomes to either end of the cell.
The first step of anaphase involves the unfolding of proteins to cleave chromatids. Mistakes during this process can cause problems with the resulting chromosomes, as they may acquire extra genetic material or may have pieces missing. In the next step, chromosomes are pulled to either end of the cell, preparing for the part of the process where the cell breaks into two copies. A phenomenon called anaphase delay can create errors if a chromosome fails to migrate; one daughter cell will have too many chromosomes and the other will have too few.
In successful mitosis, anaphase allows the cell to make two identical copies. Each will contain the same chromosomes and can perform the same functions as the parent cell. Meiosis involves the mixing of genetic material to make lots of genes on each chromosome. The mated daughter cells divide again to create a set of four cells with complementary DNA. These haploid cells, known as gametes, can combine with similar cells from another organism to create an embryo.
Errors can occur during anaphase or any of the other stages of cell division. The body may be able to identify cells with DNA replication errors and can label them for destruction to prevent their duplication and perpetuation. Sometimes it does not identify these problems. When it fails, people can develop malignancies, in which uncontrolled cell growth occurs due to a genetic error. In the case of gametes, mistakes can lead to the development of birth defects or the creation of a carrier who could have children with genetic disorders.
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