metaphase

1 8.0

Chromosomes line up in the middle of a cell before they separate

noun
/ˈmɛtəˌfeɪz/

Specialized

: metafase

And then what we're going to see is how soon we can detect radioactive metaphase chromosomes.
metaphase plate
metaphase I oocytes

Examples

The scientist observed the cell's metaphase stage to ensure accurate chromosome separation.
It's based on the metaphase, you know, of the cell cycle.
Metaphase is completed when all the chromosomes have formed bipolar attachments about an equatorial position.

Academic text (2003)
The phosphoepitope brightly stained both sister kinetochores near the poles, but the leading kinetochore was more brightly stained near the metaphase plate.

Academic text (2009)
In mitosis, kinetochore pairs attach to microtubules, align at the metaphase plate, and migrate to opposite poles to be separated into the daughter cells (Figure 5).

Academic text (2009)
During metaphase, chromosomes align at the center of the cell in preparation for division.
Before the chromosomes can be separated, they must first reach metaphase where they line up in the center.

Surface Forms

metaphase singular

metaphases plural

Morphology

metaphase = phase (opaque) = meta + phase

Although the word is morphologically built from 'meta-' + 'phase', the biological technical meaning is not readily recoverable for an average learner from the parts alone.

Etymology

Metaphase comes from Greek parts meta- meaning 'between' or 'after' and phase meaning 'stage', the same phase you know from 'phase of the moon'. So metaphase is the 'middle' stage of cell division when chromosomes line up in the centre before they are pulled apart.