1. Prophase: The chromosomes condense, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the spindle fibers form.
2. Metafase: The chromosomes line up at the equator of the cell, attached to the spindle fibers.
3. Anafase: The sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles of the cell.
4. telofase: The chromosomes decondense, the nuclear envelope reforms around each set of chromosomes, and the spindle fibers disappear.
Nota: This is for mitosis, which is cell division for growth and repair. Meiosis, which is cell division for sexual reproduction, has a different set of phases, but the basic principles are similar.
