The word Metaphage is formed from the Greek words meta meaning middle and phage meaning state. Mitosis The intermediate stage of cell division is called metaphase.
Metaphase is a short-lived phase. In the process of condensation, the chromosomes become more compact, thicker and shorter. The coiling of chromosomes at this stage is called super coiling. Chromosomes are located at the equator. The arrangement of chromosomes in the equatorial region looks like a plate. It is called equatorial plate or metaphase plate. At the metaphase plate, the smaller chromosomes are arranged on the inside and the larger chromosomes on the outside. The process of arrangement of chromosomes at the equator is called metakinesis. At the end of metaphase, the centromere of each chromosome divides to form two daughter centromeres.