Metaphase I is the second stage of meiosis I, which follows prophase I. During metaphase I, the homologous pairs of chromosomes align on either side of the equatorial plate, forming the metaphase plate
. The spindle fibers attach to the kinetochores of the centromere, preparing the chromosomal pair to be separated during the next phase, anaphase I
. At this point, the four chromatids that make up each pair of homologous chromosomes are genetically dissimilar due to the previous homologous recombination and crossovers
. The main differences between meiotic metaphase I and mitotic metaphase are that in mitosis, the chromosomes (each with two chromatids) line up on the metaphase plate, whereas in meiosis, the tetrads (where each chromosomal pair has four chromatids joined at the centromere) line up on the metaphase plate
