Centrosomes are organelles composed of two centrioles and function as microtubule organizing centers. Centrosomes are duplicated during S phase of interphase, and migrate to opposite poles of the dividing cell to form the mitotic spindle apparatuses. The mitotic spindles originate at the centrosomes, where microtubule regulation occurs.

During prophase of mitosis, microtubules attach to the centromere region of the chromosome. Remember that the centromere is the region that connects the two sister chromatids that compose the chromosome. Specifically, the specialized region of the centromere that the microtubules attach to is called the kinetochore. The centrioles are the structures that make up the centrosomes, which are the microtubule organizing centers from which microtubules originate.

A cell that has completed mitotic anaphase contains separated sister chromatids. A cell at the start of prophase still has chromosomes with attached sister chromatids. This means that a cell in anaphase with eight distinct chromosomes must have had four chromosomes with unseparated chromatids at the beginning of prophase. Once cytokinesis is complete, the resulting cells with each have four chromosomes.

The sister chromatids separate from each other during mitotic anaphase. The daughter cells each receive the same amount of chromatids as the original cell had chromosomes. If sixteen distinct chromosomes exist at metaphase, then sixteen chromatids will go to each of the daughter cells. Recall that during mitosis, a diploid parent cell gives rise to two diploid daughter cells.

Sister chromatids are two identical copies of the same chromosome. They are attached to each other at a region called the centromere. Homologous chromosomes are not identical. Rather, they are chromosomes that look alike, and have the same genes at the same loci, but not necessarily the same versions of those genes. For example, we all have two copies of chromosome number 1. Assume eye color is coded on this chromosome. One copy may have the brown allele, while the other copy might have the green allele. Both chromosomes have loci that code for eye color, but they are not identical since one came from each parent.

Chromatin serves as a scaffold for DNA and helps regulate gene activity. Chromatin can be condensed, as euchromatin, or loosely packed, as heterochromatin. The compactness of chromatin determines its level of activity. When it is loosely packed, it can be acted upon by DNA replication and/or transcription enzymes, and those genes may be expressed. Centromeres hold sister chromatids together.  

The five phases of mitosis are prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase in that order. Since mitosis involves the production of two genetically identical diploid daughter cells from one parent cell, there is only one cell division. Thus, all phases that dictate a Roman numeral refer to meiosis, which involves the production of four nonidentical haploid daughter cells from one parent cell as the result of two cell divisions. During anaphase II of meiosis, the sister chromatids are pulled to opposite poles of the cell, and the second round of cytokinesis begins.

During interphase the cell grows and duplicates its chromosomes in preparation for mitosis. Specifically, cell growth begins in G₂ phase of interphase and chromosomal duplication (DNA replication) occurs in S phase. The cell continues to grow in G₂ phase, and proofreads the DNA that was just replicated in S phase to make sure there are no errors, preventing mutations from being passed to daughter cells.  

Kinetochore fibers allow the microtubules from the spindle apparatus to attach to the chromatids. Kinetochores are formed in prometaphase. These will help move the chromosomes in preparation for metaphase, when the chromosomes will need to be lined up on the metaphase plate. 

The plane along which the chromosomes align is called the metaphase plate and this event occurs during metaphase. At this point, the sister chromatids are ready to be pulled apart during anaphase. Ultimately, the products of mitosis are two identical (since sister chromatids are identical) diploid daughter cells.