The end of cell division, following prophase (the beginning of mitosis), is marked by two key stages: telophase and cytokinesis.
- Telophase is the final stage of mitosis where the chromosomes reach opposite poles of the cell, the nuclear envelope reforms around each set of chromosomes, the chromosomes begin to decondense back into chromatin, and the nucleolus reappears. This stage essentially reverses many of the processes of prophase
- Cytokinesis follows telophase and is the process where the cytoplasm divides, resulting in two separate daughter cells. In animal cells, this occurs through the formation of a contractile ring that pinches the cell membrane, while in plant cells, a cell plate forms to separate the two new cells. Cytokinesis completes the cell division process, producing two distinct cells
Thus, the end of cell division is cytokinesis, which physically separates the daughter cells after mitosis concludes with telophase.
