Editing Mitosis (section)

====Metaphase====
[[File:Mitosis-fluorescent.jpg|thumb|right|A cell in late [[metaphase]]. All chromosomes (blue) but one have arrived at the [[metaphase plate]].]] 
{{main|Metaphase}}

[[File:Metaphase during Mitosis.svg|thumb|[[Metaphase]] during mitosis]]

After the microtubules have located and attached to the kinetochores in prometaphase, the two centrosomes begin pulling the chromosomes towards opposite ends of the cell. The resulting tension causes the chromosomes to align along the [[metaphase plate]] at the equatorial plane, an imaginary line that is centrally located between the two centrosomes (at approximately the midline of the cell).<ref name="Winey-1995"/> To ensure equitable distribution of chromosomes at the end of mitosis, the ''[[spindle checkpoint|metaphase checkpoint]]'' guarantees that kinetochores are properly attached to the mitotic spindle and that the chromosomes are aligned along the metaphase plate.<ref name="Chan-2003"/> If the cell successfully passes through the metaphase checkpoint, it proceeds to anaphase.