Mitosis (M Phase) — NEET Biology MCQs with Solutions
Free NEET Biology Mitosis (M Phase) MCQs with step-by-step solutions (78 questions). Part of Cell Cycle and Cell Division. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.
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Questions with solutions
Q1 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy · theory
Chromosomes align at the equatorial plate (metaphase plate) during:
A. Prophase
B. Telophase
C. Metaphase ✓ Correct
D. Anaphase
Solution: In metaphase the condensed chromosomes line up at the equator, attached to spindle fibres by kinetochores.
Q2 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy · theory
Sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles during:
A. Telophase
B. Prophase
C. Metaphase
D. Anaphase ✓ Correct
Solution: In anaphase the centromeres split and sister chromatids (now daughter chromosomes) are pulled to the poles.
Q3 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · theory
The disappearance of the nuclear envelope and nucleolus, with condensation of chromatin, occurs in:
A. Telophase
B. Anaphase
C. Metaphase
D. Prophase ✓ Correct
Solution: During prophase chromatin condenses, the spindle begins to form, and the nuclear envelope/nucleolus break down.
Q4 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · theory
Cytokinesis in a plant cell occurs by ______, unlike the ______ seen in animal cells:
A. Cell-plate formation; cleavage furrow ✓ Correct
B. Fragmentation; furrowing
C. Cleavage furrow; cell-plate
D. Budding; fission
Solution: Plant cells form a cell plate from the centre outward; animal cells constrict by a cleavage furrow from the periphery.
Q5 — Mitosis (M Phase) · hard · theory
Karyokinesis without cytokinesis produces a multinucleate condition called a ______, as in the ______:
A. Spore; anther
B. Syncytium/coenocyte; liquid endosperm ✓ Correct
C. Zygote; ovule
D. Diploid; embryo
Solution: When nuclei divide without cell division, a multinucleate cell (e.g. free-nuclear endosperm) results.
Q6 — Mitosis (M Phase) · hard · theory
The correct sequence of mitotic phases is:
A. Anaphase → Prophase → Metaphase → Telophase
B. Metaphase → Prophase → Telophase → Anaphase
C. Telophase → Anaphase → Metaphase → Prophase
D. Prophase → Metaphase → Anaphase → Telophase ✓ Correct
Solution: Mitosis proceeds P → M → A → T, followed by cytokinesis.
Q7 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy · numerical
During which mitotic phase do the daughter chromosomes (each now a single chromatid) reach the opposite poles and begin to cluster, with the spindle fibres disappearing and the nuclear envelope reforming?
A. Anaphase
B. Metaphase
C. Telophase ✓ Correct
D. Prophase
Solution: In telophase the chromosomes reach the poles, decondense, the spindle disappears and nuclear envelopes reassemble around each set, forming two nuclei.
Q8 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy · numerical
At which stage of mitosis is the chromosome most condensed and clearly seen as two sister chromatids joined at the centromere, arranged at the equator of the cell?
A. Late prophase
B. Metaphase ✓ Correct
C. Telophase
D. Early anaphase
Solution: Chromosomes are maximally condensed and most easily studied at metaphase, when each appears as two chromatids held at the centromere and aligned on the metaphase plate.
Q9 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy · numerical
The event that specifically marks the beginning of anaphase in mitosis is:
A. Condensation of chromatin into visible chromosomes
B. Reappearance of the nucleolus and nuclear membrane
C. Alignment of all chromosomes at the equatorial plate
D. Splitting of the centromeres so that the two sister chromatids of each chromosome separate ✓ Correct
Solution: Anaphase begins with the simultaneous splitting of centromeres, converting sister chromatids into independent daughter chromosomes that move to opposite poles.
Q10 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy · numerical
In which type of cell does cytokinesis occur by the formation of a cell plate that grows outward from the centre towards the wall?
A. Plant cell ✓ Correct
B. Bacterial cell
C. Human red blood cell
D. Animal cell
Solution: Plant cells, having a rigid wall, divide by forming a cell plate from the centre outward (cell-plate formation), whereas animal cells constrict inward by a cleavage furrow.
Q11 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · numerical
Which of the following events is characteristic of prophase but NOT of metaphase in mitosis?
A. Kinetochores of all chromosomes are attached to spindle fibres from both poles
B. The nuclear envelope and nucleolus disappear towards the end of the phase ✓ Correct
C. Chromosomes lie exactly on the equatorial plate
D. Chromosomes are maximally condensed and thickest
Solution: Disappearance of the nuclear envelope and nucleolus occurs at the end of prophase; alignment on the equator, bipolar attachment and maximal condensation belong to metaphase.
Q12 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · numerical
A root-tip cell of an onion (2n = 16) is observed in anaphase of mitosis. How many chromosomes are moving towards each pole and how many chromatids does each such chromosome possess?
A. 8 chromosomes towards each pole, each with two chromatids
B. 16 chromosomes towards each pole, each with a single chromatid ✓ Correct
C. 32 chromosomes towards each pole, each with two chromatids
D. 16 chromosomes towards each pole, each with two chromatids
Solution: After centromere splitting in anaphase, each of the 16 chromosomes contributes one chromatid to each pole; thus 16 single-chromatid chromosomes move to each pole.
Q13 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · numerical
Match the mitotic phase with its defining feature and choose the correct combination:
(i) Prophase (ii) Metaphase (iii) Anaphase (iv) Telophase
(p) Centromeres split and chromatids separate (q) Nuclear envelope reforms and chromosomes decondense (r) Chromosomes condense and spindle formation begins (s) Metaphase plate with chromosomes aligned
A. (i)-p, (ii)-q, (iii)-r, (iv)-s
B. (i)-q, (ii)-p, (iii)-s, (iv)-r
C. (i)-r, (ii)-s, (iii)-p, (iv)-q ✓ Correct
D. (i)-s, (ii)-r, (iii)-q, (iv)-p
Solution: Prophase = condensation and spindle formation (r); metaphase = aligned metaphase plate (s); anaphase = centromere splitting and chromatid separation (p); telophase = nuclear envelope reforms and chromosomes decondense (q).
Q14 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · numerical
Which statement about the spindle apparatus in animal cell mitosis is correct?
A. The spindle appears only after the nuclear envelope has completely reformed
B. The spindle fibres extend from the two centrosomes (with centrioles) that migrate to opposite poles ✓ Correct
C. The spindle is formed entirely by the nucleolus at the cell centre
D. Spindle fibres attach to chromosomes at the telomeres rather than the kinetochores
Solution: In animal cells the two centrosomes move to opposite poles and organise the spindle fibres, which attach to chromosomes at the kinetochores of the centromeres.
Q15 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · numerical
If a dividing cell completes karyokinesis (nuclear division) but fails to undergo cytokinesis repeatedly, the immediate result is:
A. Complete arrest of the cell cycle in metaphase
B. A cell with half the normal chromosome number
C. A single cell containing many nuclei, i.e. a multinucleate (coenocytic/syncytial) condition ✓ Correct
D. Two normal daughter cells each with one nucleus
Solution: Karyokinesis without cytokinesis yields several nuclei within one cell (a syncytium or coenocyte), as seen in the liquid endosperm of many seeds.
Q16 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium · numerical
During metaphase, each chromosome is attached to spindle fibres from both poles through structures located at the centromere. These structures are the:
A. Synaptonemal complexes
B. Kinetochores ✓ Correct
C. Centrioles
D. Chiasmata
Solution: Kinetochores are disc-shaped protein structures at the centromeres to which spindle fibres attach, allowing chromosomes to align and later separate.
Q17 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
In which stage of the cell cycle does initiation of condensation of chromosomes take place?
A. Metaphase
B. Anaphase
C. Prophase ✓ Correct
D. Telophase
Solution: Chromosomal condensation begins in prophase.
Q18 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
The centriole moves to opposite poles of the cell in which stage?
A. Metaphase
B. Prophase ✓ Correct
C. Telophase
D. Anaphase
Solution: Centrioles migrate to opposite poles during prophase.
Q19 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium
The complete disintegration of the nuclear envelope in a cell cycle marks the
A. end of anaphase of mitosis
B. start of prophase of mitosis
C. start of metaphase of mitosis ✓ Correct
D. start of telophase of mitosis
Solution: Metaphase begins when the nuclear envelope has completely disintegrated.
Q20 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
This is the best stage to count the number and study the morphology of chromosomes.
A. Anaphase
B. Telophase
C. Prophase
D. Metaphase ✓ Correct
Solution: Metaphase chromosomes are most condensed and best for morphology study.
Q21 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
Spindle fibres attach on to
A. kinetochore of the chromosome ✓ Correct
B. telomere of the chromosome
C. kinetosome of the chromosome
D. centromere of the chromosome
Solution: Spindle fibres attach to the kinetochores.
Q22 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
The phase characterised by the alignment of chromosomes at the equator is
A. metaphase ✓ Correct
B. telophase
C. prophase
D. anaphase
Solution: Chromosomes align at the equatorial plate during metaphase.
Q23 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
At which stage of mitosis do the two daughter chromatids separate from each other, migrate towards the opposite poles, and are now referred to as chromosomes of the future daughter nuclei?
A. Telophase
B. Prophase
C. Metaphase
D. Anaphase ✓ Correct
Solution: Chromatids separate and move to poles during anaphase.
Q24 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium
During the anaphasic movements of chromosomes, the centromere of each chromosome is directed towards
A. spindle fibres
B. equatorial plate
C. None of these
D. pole ✓ Correct
Solution: The centromere leads and is directed towards the pole during anaphase.
Q25 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium
During which phase of mitosis do the chromosomes appear in V, L, J, or I-shaped structures?
A. Prophase
B. Anaphase ✓ Correct
C. Metaphase
D. Telophase
Solution: Moving chromosomes take V, L, J or I shapes during anaphase.
Q26 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
A cell furrow appears in the plasma membrane of an animal cell during
A. karyokinesis
B. cytokinesis ✓ Correct
C. interphase
D. interkinesis
Solution: The cleavage furrow forms during cytokinesis in animal cells.
Q27 — Mitosis (M Phase) · easy
Cytoplasmic division occurs via cell plate formation in
A. plant cells ✓ Correct
B. animal cells
C. bacterial cells
D. mammalian cells
Solution: Plant cells divide the cytoplasm by cell plate formation.
Q28 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium
When karyokinesis is not followed by cytokinesis, it results in the formation of
A. uninucleate cells
B. multinucleate cells ✓ Correct
C. undifferentiated cells
D. diploid cells
Solution: Karyokinesis without cytokinesis produces multinucleate cells.
Q29 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium
The start of metaphase is marked by
A. Initiation of condensation of chromosomal material
B. Chromosomes align at the equatorial plate
C. Complete disintegration of nuclear membrane ✓ Correct
D. Disappearance of ER, Golgi body, nucleolus and nuclear envelope
Solution: Metaphase begins with complete disintegration of the nuclear membrane.
Q30 — Mitosis (M Phase) · medium
The end of prophase is marked by
A. Initiation of condensation of chromosomal material
B. Disappearance of ER, Golgi body, nucleolus and nuclear envelope ✓ Correct
C. Chromosomes align at the equatorial plate
D. Splitting of centromere and separation of chromatids
Solution: Prophase ends with disappearance of ER, Golgi body, nucleolus and nuclear envelope.