Living organisms have essential units, cells. The cell cycle is organized in a series of differentiated stages and the metaphase is one of the most characteristic. If we look at the lexical formation of the term, it is composed of the Greek prefix meta, which means beyond, plus the word phase, which comes from the Greek phasis and which means manifestation, appearance or action of showing itself.
Cell division
If we take human cells as a reference, these are formed with the 46 chromosomes of the parents. The first cell or oocyte of the new organism is potentially a fully developed new individual. For this to be viable, a process of cell replication must take place.
In a first stage, the oocyte divides into two equal cells and each one is programmed to grow and divide into other daughter cells. Thus, with a more complex cellular structure, the zygote is formed, which continues to divide until it forms a new structure, the embryo. The embryo continues the duplication process until the formation of a new human being. In all these stages the same genetic information is maintained.
The cell cycle is divided into two large periods: interface and mitosis. The first is divided in turn into three phases: G1, S and G2 (in the first the cells are constantly growing, in the second the genetic material is duplicated and in the third the cell prepares for its definitive division by means of the protein synthesis).
In mitosis it is where the hereditary material is distributed equally.
The metaphase is the second phase of mitosis and in it a procedure of control of cell development takes place
During the mitosis process there are different stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. In prophase the centrioles that are located in the nucleus of the cell move away to prepare the transmission of chromosomes to a next cell.
In metaphase, the chromosomes are located in the central part of the cell forming a line (this phenomenon is known as the equatorial plate or mitotic spindle). In this stage of cell mitosis, DNA is in the form of a chromosome and each of them is composed of two chromatics that are dispersed in the cytoplasm of the cell.
In parallel, the centrioles are found on opposite sides of the cell and it is from these structures that the mitotic spindle is formed.
In a simplified way, it could be stated that in the metaphase a control process takes place in cell development, since it is verified that the DNA molecules are placed in the correct position so that they are then distributed equally.
Once the chromosomes in the cell are arranged, anaphase or separation of the chromosomes occurs. Finally, in telophase, new envelopes are created in the nucleus of the cell.
Photo Fotolia: Ellepigrafica
