Poetry | March 02, 2021
Poems: John Gallaher
John Gallaher
Division (Architecture 5)
Let’s watch the process one more time. During the first stage of mitosis,
prophase, we see the classic chromosome structure. Notice the DNA
condensing. Outside, my neighbor is watering the new tree
they planted to replace the one they had to remove, and in both her and the tree,
microtubules are appearing and the nuclear membrane is breaking down.
So many places to go wrong: metaphase, when the chromosomes are aligned
at the center of the cell, or anaphase, as the chromosomes are moving apart.
Telophase is then marked by the appearance of new nuclear membranes.
And this is the end of mitosis. About 80 minutes, and two new cells
are ready to grow and perform their specialized functions.
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