Self Assessment Answer # 1
for Lesson 3

by Dr Jamie Love © 2002 - 2010
Genetics Course

1. Prophase - "pro" means "before".
2. Metaphase - "meta" means "between".
3. Anaphase - "ana" means "upwards" in Greek, but you would not have known that from what I have told you. (OK, it was not a "fair question" but it got you thinking. ) I like to think it means "away". That’s not Greek, but it is helpful!
4. Telophase - "telo" means "end".

Granted, we are not here to learn Greek but it is helpful to learn these prefixes because they remind you of the phase and you see them cropping up all the time in Biology. "Telomeres" and "telophase" are good examples, but other words in biology you may have seen that use these Greek prefixes include "protozoan" ("before the animal") and "metamorphosis" ("between shapes").

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