What happens to sister chromatids during anaphase of mitosis?

During anaphase of mitosis, sister chromatids are separated and pulled apart at the centromeres. This is a crucial step in the process of mitosis, as it ensures that each daughter cell receives an identical set of chromosomes.

The centromere is the region of DNA where the two chromatids are tightly linked together. As the spindle fibers, which are structures made of microtubules, contract, they exert forces that pull the sister chromatids toward opposite poles of the cell. This movement is essential for the equal distribution of genetic material, facilitating the formation of two genetically identical daughter cells at the conclusion of mitosis.

In contrast, the sister chromatids are not replicated during anaphase, as replication occurs earlier during the S phase of the cell cycle. They also do not align at the cell equator during anaphase; this alignment occurs during metaphase, which precedes anaphase. Lastly, sister chromatids do not form homologous pairs, as homologous pairs refer to chromosomes that are similar in shape, size, and genetic content but are not identical alleles; sister chromatids are exact copies of each other created during DNA replication.

Thus, the action of pulling the sister chromatids apart at the cent