During which phase of cell division does the splitting of centromeres occur?

The splitting of centromeres occurs during the anaphase stage of mitosis, which is a phase of cell division responsible for separating sister chromatids. During mitosis, particularly in anaphase, the centromere that holds the two sister chromatids together divides, allowing the chromatids to separate and move toward opposite poles of the cell. This process ensures that each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes.

In contrast, other phases listed do not feature this specific process. Cytokinesis is the final step of cell division where the cytoplasm divides, but it does not involve the splitting of centromeres. Meiosis involves two rounds of division but the centromeres split at a later stage specifically in meiosis II, after the configuration set in mitosis and many might overlook this. Interphase is a phase of the cell cycle where the cell is preparing for division and genetic material is replicated, but centromeres are not splitting during this phase. Thus, the focus on mitosis as the correct answer emphasizes its critical role in the process of chromatid separation through centromere division.