Question:

Which of the following stages of meiosis involves the division of the centromere?

Updated On: Nov 13, 2025

Telophase II
Metaphase I
Metaphase II
Anaphase II

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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

To determine which stage of meiosis involves the division of the centromere, we need to understand what occurs during each stage of meiosis.

Metaphase I: During this stage, homologous chromosomes line up along the equatorial plane of the cell. Importantly, the centromeres do not divide in Metaphase I as this stage is part of Meiosis I, where homologous chromosomes are separated, not the sister chromatids.
Metaphase II: In this stage of Meiosis II, chromosomes line up at the equator as they did in Metaphase I. However, the centromeres remain intact and do not yet divide.
Anaphase II: This is the stage where the centromeres finally divide, allowing sister chromatids to be pulled apart to opposite poles of the cell. This is a crucial step for separating the sister chromatids and therefore involves the division of the centromere.
Telophase II: In this final stage, the separated chromatids reach the opposite poles, and nuclei reform, but by this point, the centromeres have already divided, and their division is not what characterizes this stage.

Therefore, the correct answer is Anaphase II, as this is the stage where the centromere division occurs, allowing for the separation of sister chromatids.

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Concepts Used:

Meiosis

Meiosis is a process in which a single cell, a diploid cell, undergoes division twice to produce four haploid daughter cells, and the cells produced are known as the sex cells or gametes (sperms in males and egg in females). It contains half of the original amount of genetic information. The haploids only have half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.

Features of Meiosis:

It results in the formation of four daughter cells in each cycle of cell division.
The daughter cells are identical to the mother cell in shape and size but different in chromosome number.
The daughter cells are haploid.
Recombination and segregation take place in meiosis.
The process occurs in the reproductive organs and results in the formation of gametes.
The process is divided into two types-Meiosis-I reduces the chromosome number to half and is known as reductional division. Meiosis-II is just like the mitotic division.

Phases of Meiosis

Meiosis can be divided into nine stages. The process is usually divided into two parts. The first time a cell divides (meiosis I) and the second time it divides (meiosis II). The phases are as follows –

Meiosis 1 Stages

The different stages of meiosis 1 can be explained by the following phases :

Prophase 1
Metaphase 1
Anaphase 1
Telophase 1

Meiosis 2 Stages