Interphase

The cell is engaged in metabolic activity and performing its prepare for
mitosis (the next four phases that lead up to and include nuclear division).
Chromosomes are not clearly discerned in the nucleus, although a dark
spot called the nucleolus may be visible. The cell may contain a pair of
centrioles (or microtubule organizing centres in plants) both of which are
organizational sites for microtubules.
Prophase
Chromatin in the nucleus begins to condense and becomes visible in the
light microscope as chromosomes. The nucleolus disappears. Centrioles
begin moving to opposite ends of the cell and fibres extend from the
centromeres. Some fibres cross the cell to form the mitotic spindle.

Prometaphase
The nuclear membrane dissolves, marking the beginning of prometaphase.
Microtubules attach at the centromeres and the chromosomes begin
moving.

Metaphase
Spindle fibres align the chromosomes along the middle of the cell nucleus.
This line is referred to as the metaphase plate. This organization helps to
ensure that in the next phase, when the chromosomes are separated, each
new nucleus will receive one copy of each chromosome.

Anaphase
The paired chromosomes separate at the kinetochores and move to
opposite sides of the cell. Motion results from a combination of
kinetochore movement along the spindle microtubules and through the
physical interaction of polar microtubules.

Telophase
Chromatids arrive at opposite poles of cell, and new membranes form
around the daughter nuclei. The chromosomes disperse and are no longer
visible under the light microscope. The spindle fibers disperse, and
cytokinesis or the partitioning of the cell may also begin during this stage.

Cytokinesis
In animal cells, cytokinesis results when a fibre ring composed of a protein
called actin around the centre of the cell contracts pinching the cell into
two daughter cells, each with one nucleus. In plant cells, the rigid wall
requires that a cell plate be synthesized between the two daughter cells.
Prophase

In prophase, the chromatin condenses into discrete chromosomes. The nuclear envelope breaks down and spindles form at opposite "poles" of the
cell. Many consider prophase (versus interphase) to be the first true step of the mitotic process.

Changes that occur in a cell during prophase:

 Chromatin fibers become coiled into chromosomes with each chromosome having two chromatids joined at a centromere.
 The mitotic spindle, composed of microtubules and proteins, forms in the cytoplasm.
 In animal cells, the mitotic spindle initially appears as structures called asters which surround each centriole pair.
 The two pair of centrioles (formed from the replication of one pair in Interphase) move away from one another toward opposite ends of
the cell due to the lengthening of the microtubules that form between them.

Metaphase

In metaphase, the spindle fully develops and the chromosomes align at the metaphase plate (a plane that is equally distant from the
two spindle poles).

Changes that occur in a cell during metaphase:

 The nuclear membrane disappears completely.

 In animal cells, the two pair of centrioles align at opposite poles of the cell.
 Polar fibers (microtubules that make up the spindle fibers) continue to extend from the poles to the center of the cell.
 Chromosomes move randomly until they attach (at their kinetochores) to polar fibers from both sides of their centromeres.
 Chromosomes align at the metaphase plate at right angles to the spindle poles.
 Chromosomes are held at the metaphase plate by the equal forces of the polar fibers pushing on the centromeres of the
chromosomes.

Anaphase

In anaphase, the paired chromosomes ( sister chromatids ) separate and begin moving to opposite ends (poles) of the cell. Spindle
fibers not connected to chromatids lengthen and elongate the cell. At the end of anaphase, each pole contains a complete compilation
of chromosomes.
Changes that occur in a cell during anaphase:

 The paired centromeres in each distinct chromosome begin to move apart.

 Once the paired sister chromatids separate from one another, each is considered a "full" chromosome. They are referred to as
daughter chromosomes.
 Through the spindle apparatus, the daughter chromosomes move to the poles at opposite ends of the cell.
 The daughter chromosomes migrate centromere first and the kinetochore fibers become shorter as the chromosomes near a
pole.
 In preparation for telophase, the two cell poles also move further apart during the course of anaphase. At the end of anaphase,
each pole contains a complete compilation of chromosomes.

Telophase

In telophase, the chromosomes are cordoned off into distinct new nuclei in the emerging daughter cells .

Changes that occur in a cell during telophase:

 The polar fibers continue to lengthen.

 Nuclei (plural form of nucleus) begin to form at opposite poles.
 The nuclear envelopes of these nuclei are formed from remnant pieces of the parent cell's nuclear envelope and from pieces
of the endomembrane system.
 Nucleoli (plural form of nucleolus) also reappear.
 Chromatin fibers of chromosomes uncoil.
 After these changes, telophase/mitosis is largely complete and the genetic "contents" of one cell have been divided equally
into two.

Cytokinesis

Cytokinesis , the division of the original cell's cytoplasm, begins prior to the end of mitosis and completes shortly after
telophase/mitosis. At the end of cytokinesis, two genetically identical daughter cells are produced.