What characterizes the telophase of mitosis?

During telophase of mitosis, the key processes that occur include the uncoiling of chromosomes and the reformation of the nuclear membrane. At this stage, the chromosomes, which have been tightly condensed during previous phases, begin to decondense back into a more relaxed state, allowing for their genetic material to be accessible for transcription and replication during the interphase that follows. Additionally, as the chromosomes unwind, the nuclear membrane reforms around each set of chromosomes, creating two distinct nuclei within the dividing cell. This is crucial for cell division, as it ensures that each daughter cell will receive the correct genetic material.

The other processes do not occur during telophase. For example, while the centrosome's definition and the alignment of chromatids are important in earlier phases of mitosis (such as prophase and metaphase), they are not characteristic of telophase. Similarly, sister chromatids separate during anaphase, not telophase, marking the transition of the chromatids moving to opposite poles of the cell. Thus, the emphasis on the uncoiling of chromosomes and the reformation of the nuclear membrane distinctly characterizes telophase.