Mitosis in plant and animal cells differ in the ______ stage.

• A. Cytokinesis
• B. Prophase
• C. Metaphase
• D. Anaphase

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the cell physically splits after mitosis. In plant and animal cells, the division of the cytoplasm happens differently, even though the earlier mitotic steps are similar. In animal cells, a contractile ring of actin forms a cleavage furrow that pinches the cell membrane inward, splitting the cell into two separate cells. In contrast, plant cells cannot constrict the membrane because their rigid cell wall blocks inward pinching; instead, vesicles derived from the Golgi fuse at the center to build a cell plate. This cell plate grows outward and eventually develops into separating cell walls, dividing the two daughter cells. So, the stage where the processes diverge is cytokinesis, the final splitting of the cytoplasm after mitosis. The stages where chromosomes condense, align, and separate (prophase, metaphase, and anaphase) are largely similar in plants and animals.