Mitosis in Onion Root Tips

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  • Longitudinal section of an onion root tip x40. The root cap is toward the bottom. The apical meristem is above consisting of more or less square cells with rather large nuclei.
  • The apical meristem x400. Most of the cells even in this area of active cell division are at interphase. Those with visible chromosomes are at some stage of mitosis.
  • Interphase x1000. Note the distinct nuclear membranes and nucleoli in three of these cells. The cell in the upper right shows telophase.
  • Prophase x1000. Note the beginning of string-like chromosomes. Nucleoli are still present but will disappear later in prophase.
  • Metaphase x1000. Note the two-chromatid chromosomes lined up at the metaphase plane in the centeral region of the two cells shown at metaphase. The two cells in the lower right are at late telophase with cytokinesis complete but with nuclei containing chromosomes that are still uncoiling.
  • Metaphase x1000. Another cell at metaphase.
  • Early Anaphase x1000. One chromatid chromosomes are just beginning to move toward the poles along the visible spindle fibers.
  • Late Anaphase x1000.
  • Telophase x1000. You can recognize this as telophase because cytokinesis has started between the two groups of chromosomes.

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