Given below is a diagram representing a stage during mitotic cell division in an animal cell.

Examine it carefully and answer the questions which follow.

(a) Identify the stage. Give one reason in support of your answer.

(b) Name the cell organelle that forms the 'aster'.

(c) Name the parts labelled 1, 2 and 3.

(d) Name the stage that follows the one shown here.

How is that stage identified?

(e) Mention two differences between mitosis and meiosis with regard to:

(i) The number of daughter cells produced.

(ii) The chromosome number of the daughter cells.

(a) It represents the late prophase stage because

(i) the nucleolus disappears and nuclear starts disappearing.

(ii) Chromosome has been duplicated to form two chromatids.

(iii) Aster rays radiate from centrioles.

(b) The cell organelle that forms the ‘aster’ is centrosome.

(c) 1 – Centromere 2 - Chromatids 3 – Spindle fiber

(d) The stage that follows late prophase is metaphase. The features of this stage are as follows:

(i) Chromosomes line up at the equator (center) forming equatorial or metaphase plate.

(ii) Chromosome are attached to spindle fibers at the centromere region.

(e) Differences between mitosis and meiosis: