Kaplan mitosis question

[DrHopeful2424]

Passage: Some cancer drugs target mitosis. For example, the vinca alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine, prevent the formation of microtubules. In the absence of microtubules, the spindle apparatus cannot form, resulting in inhibition of mitosis.

Question: What phases of mitosis cannot proceed in cells treated with vincristine?
A) Prophase
B) Metaphase
C) Anaphase
D) Telophase

Answer: The correct answer to the question is anaphase because it requires microtubules, and without the spindle apparatus, the chromosomes cannot separate.

My Question: Why is the answer to this not metaphase? I understand that anaphase can't happen because the spindle fibers are needed to pull the chromosomes apart. Doesn't metaphase also need the spindle apparatus to align the chromosomes in the first place?

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[MSUSD10]

I think it's because the aligning to the middle isn't a process that uses microtubules, it's that they migrate to the center, and then the microtubules attach, but anaphase is the first phase that requires microtubules to be carried out. I could be wrong but that's what I think


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[yeasureyoubetcha]

Passage: Some cancer drugs target mitosis. For example, the vinca alkaloids, vincristine and vinblastine, prevent the formation of microtubules. In the absence of microtubules, the spindle apparatus cannot form, resulting in inhibition of mitosis.

Question: What phases of mitosis cannot proceed in cells treated with vincristine?
A) Prophase
B) Metaphase
C) Anaphase
D) Telophase

Answer: The correct answer to the question is anaphase because it requires microtubules, and without the spindle apparatus, the chromosomes cannot separate.

My Question: Why is the answer to this not metaphase? I understand that anaphase can't happen because the spindle fibers are needed to pull the chromosomes apart. Doesn't metaphase also need the spindle apparatus to align the chromosomes in the first place?

Ignore it. You're correct. It's a poor question. Microtubules are needed to properly position the chromosomes at the metaphase plate


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[Podstar]

This is a poorly worded question. I found a lot of these throughout Kaplan and their short answers Q's.