Mitosis: Metaphase
When the chromosomes maneuver to the center of the cell, metaphase begins (Fig. 5). The spindle fiber network connects the centromere of the replicated chromosome to the outer part of each cell. The chromosomes now resemble the line of scrimmage of a football team, poised and waiting for some cellular signal to begin the next phase.
Figure 5. Metaphase of Mitosis. Each replicated chromosome in the cell lines up along the metaphase plate. Spindle fibers attach to the replicated chromosomes. Image by M. Hanneman, 2021. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.