Liceo de Cagayan University

Senior High School Department

RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

STUDENT ACTIVITY SHEET NO. 3

Subject: General Biology 1
Topic: Stages of Mitosis and Meiosis
Name: Gerry Luke R. Gaid Grade and Section: 11 STEM 21
Date Submitted: September 11, 2023__
Introduction
M phase of the cell cycle can either be mitosis in somatic cells or meiosis in gametes. Each of
these has distinct phases with their own distinct appearance per phase.
Specifically, mitosis has the following phases:
o Prophase is when chromosome condensation happens. Spindle formation also begins.
o Prometaphase begins after the completion of the breakdown of the nuclear envelope.
o Metaphase involves the alignment of the chromosomes in the metaphase plate.
o Anaphase is when the sister chromatids move to the opposite poles of the cell.
o Telophase ends when two nuclei are formed in the cell.
Meiosis, on the other hand, has two divisions:
o Meiosis I is considered the reductional division in meiosis because it reduces the number
of sets of chromosomes from two to one. Meiosis II, by contrast, is considered the
equational division in meiosis because there is no further reduction of the chromosome
number in daughter cells.
o Meiosis I and II are also different in terms of the segregating elements. Meiosis I entails
the separation of the members of the homologous chromosomes, whereas meiosis II
involves the separation of the sister chromatids.
Learning Competencies

 Characterize the phases of the cell cycle and their control points.
 Explain the significance or applications of mitosis/meiosis.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to do the following:

 locate the different phases of mitosis and meiosis under the microscope;
 identify the distinctive features of these phases; and
 describe the events that happen in each phase.
Materials
Compound light microscope
Prepared slides for the following (if available):
o Mitosis slides:
 Onion root tip slides
 Whitefish blastula slides
 Plant meristem slides
o Meiosis slide:
 (Check laboratory slides for meiosis)

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 Liceo de Cagayan University
Senior High School Department
RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

Procedure
1. Mount the chosen slide on the stage of the microscope.
2. Focus the slide using the low power objective. Make sure that you adjust the coarse
adjustment knob carefully.
3. Locate the regions in the slide where most of the stages can be found. These are usually
visible from LPO.
4. After moving to these regions, switch to the high power objective. Use the fine
adjustment knob to focus on individual cells that depict a specific stage.
5. Repeat until you locate the different phases of mitosis and meiosis.
6. Draw each of the phases in the corresponding boxes in the worksheet.
7. Describe each of the phases in terms of appearance.

I- Draw and describe the different phases of mitosis and meiosis.

Phases of Mitosis

Illustration Description
Prophase/ Prometaphase In prophase, chromosomes condense and
become visible as sister chromatids. The
nuclear envelope starts breaking down, and
spindle fibers form and extend from the
centrosomes..

Metaphase During metaphase, chromosomes align at the

cell's equatorial plane, known as the metaphase
plate. Spindle fibers attach to the centromeres
of each chromosome, holding them in a line
ready for separation.

Anaphase Anaphase is the stage where sister chromatids

are separated and pulled toward opposite poles
of the cell. Each chromatid is considered a
separate chromosome at this point, ensuring
that each daughter cell will receive an identical
set of chromosomes.

Telophase In telophase, chromosomes reach the opposite

poles and de-condense back into chromatin,
assuming a less condensed form. The nuclear
envelope reforms around each set of
chromosomes, marking the end of mitosis.

Phases of Meiosis

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Senior High School Department
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Illustration Description
Prophase/ Prometaphase I In prophase I, chromosomes condense and
become visible. Homologous chromosomes
pair up through synapsis, and genetic
recombination (crossing over) occurs. The
nuclear envelope begins to break down.

Metaphase I During metaphase I, homologous

chromosome pairs align at the metaphase
plate, and spindle fibers attach to the
centromeres of each homologous
chromosome.

Anaphase I In anaphase I, homologous chromosomes are

separated and pulled to opposite poles of the
cell. This step reduces the chromosome
number by half.

Telophase I Telophase I sees chromosomes arriving at

opposite poles and de-condensing. In some
cases, the nuclear envelope reforms,
resulting in two haploid daughter cells, each
with a unique combination of genes.

Prophase/ Prometaphase II Prophase II involves the formation of a new

set of spindle fibers in each haploid daughter
cell. The nuclear envelope may break down
again.

Metaphase II Metaphase II sees chromosomes aligning at

the metaphase plate in each haploid cell.

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Senior High School Department
RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

Anaphase II During anaphase II, sister chromatids are

separated and pulled to opposite poles in
each haploid cell.

Telophase II In telophase II, chromatids arrive at opposite

poles and de-condense. The nuclear envelope
reforms around the separated chromatids.

Interphase and Cytokinesis

Illustration Description
Interphase Interphase is not a phase of mitosis or
meiosis but is a crucial part of the cell
cycle that occurs before cell division.

Interphase is a critical phase for cell

growth and DNA replication. Most of a
cell's life is spent in interphase, with
mitosis or meiosis being relatively brief
processes by comparison.
Cytokinesis Cytokinesis is the final step in cell
division, which follows either mitosis
or meiosis. It involves the division of
the cell's cytoplasm and organelles into
two daughter cells.

Cytokinesis is essential to ensure that

the genetic material (chromosomes)
divided during mitosis or meiosis is
distributed into individual cells,

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Senior High School Department
RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

allowing for the creation of new,

genetically identical (in mitosis) or
diverse (in meiosis) cells.
Guide Questions: Answer the following questions.
1. What is the significance of Mitosis and Meiosis to cells?
The significance of both these types of cell division is that, Mitosis helps cells grow,
repair damaged tissues, and reproduce by making identical copies of themselves. It's like
a cell's way of making more of itself for routine functions or repairing injuries. While on
the other hand, Meiosis is all about sexual reproduction. It's how cells create special
"building blocks" (sperm and eggs) with different combinations of genes. When these
building blocks come together during fertilization, they create unique offspring.

2. Which region of the slides are the stages more likely to be found?
The stages of mitosis and meiosis are usually found in places where cells are actively
dividing. In plants, you'll find them in the tips of growing roots and shoots. In animals, it
depends on what's happening, like in the testes for making sperm or the ovaries for
making eggs.

3. Suppose that you are to collect samples that undergo mitosis from a plant. What parts
should you collect?
If you want to find cells in the middle of dividing, look for the growing tips of roots or
shoots. These are like the plant's "construction zones" where cells are busy making new
plant parts.

4. Is it possible to find all the stages in one slide? Why or why not?
It's pretty tricky to see all the different stages of mitosis or meiosis in just one microscope
slide. That's because these stages happen one after another, and different cells are at
different stages at the same time. To see everything, you usually need to check out
different slides or parts of the same sample.

Conclusion

Mitosis and meiosis are two essential processes in the world of cells:

 Mitosis is all about making identical copies of cells. It helps cells grow, repair, and
reproduce in a simple, predictable way.
 Meiosis is the key to creating genetic diversity. It's how cells make special building
blocks for sexual reproduction, resulting in unique offspring.

When it comes to finding the stages of these processes under a microscope:

 You're more likely to spot them where cells are actively dividing, like the tips of growing
plant parts.
 To see all the stages, you'll usually need to look at multiple slides or different areas of the
same sample.

And lastly, these procedures are necessary for the growth, development, and reproduction of all
living things and are essential to life itself.

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Senior High School Department
RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

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