metaphase necklace | sterling silver If you count mitotic figures under a microscope, you are counting metaphases. This is the stage where every chromosome is maximally condensed, perfectly aligned at the cell equator, and about to be pulled apart. Walther Flemming named this moment in 1882. Cell biologists are still looking at it. The Science Behind Metaphase Metaphase is the second major stage of mitosis, where chromosomes align at the metaphase plate (cell equator). The spindle assembly checkpoint (the surveillance mechanism that ensures every chromosome is properly attached to spindle fibers before division proceeds) was characterized largely through work in the 1990s by Leland Hartwell, Tim Hunt, and Paul Nurse, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001. This checkpoint is one of the most important tumor suppressor mechanisms in the cell: if it fails, chromosomes can missegregate, producing aneuploidy, a hallmark of most solid tumors. Drugs including taxol and vinca alkaloids disrupt spindle assembly by triggering an arrest that prevents cancer cells from completing division. The Audience cell and developmental biologists cancer researchers and oncologists pharmacologists working with anti-mitotic drugs genetics students and cytologists Explore Related Genetics Jewelry Metaphase Necklace | gold vermeil Chromosome Necklace | silver CRISPR Necklace | silver Drosophila Necklace | silver FAQ Why do cell biologists focus on metaphase? Metaphase is the most visually distinct phase of mitosis. The chromosomes are fully condensed, aligned, and easiest to count and analyze. It is the diagnostic benchmark for chromosome counting and karyotyping in medical diagnostics. What do you give a cell biologist? Metaphase. The stage they were looking for under the microscope. Someone who has spent time counting mitotic figures recognizes this necklace immediately. What are the size, material, and chain? 41 mm sterling silver pendant on a 45 cm sterling silver chain with 5 cm extender. 925 polished sterling silver, nickel-free and hypoallergenic. Ships free worldwide via DHL Express in 1-5 business days. Comes in a ready-to-gift jewelry box with the 30-day “Love It or Return It” policy. Is there a gold version? Yes. Metaphase is available in 18k gold vermeil at the same 41 mm size.