Re: How do plant and animal mitosis differ?

Dear Jack, I have summarized below the main differences between cell 
division in animals and plants and have listed some links to sites that 
might clarify some of the scientific terms I mention in my answer.  

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Sabine Heinhorst.

Differences between Mitosis of Animal and Plant Cells

Prophase:
	Plants, Animals: Chromosomes condense.
        Animals: mitotic spindle forms between centrosomes on one side of
        the nucleus.
	Plants: cortical microtubules grow together to form the spindle
        around the nuclear envelope. Preprophase band (actin,
        microtubules) forms under the plasma membrane at the place where
        the new cell wall will be formed when the cell divides.

Prometaphase:
	Plants, Animals: Nuclear envelope breaks down, chromosomes move to
        metaphase plate, spindle captures chromosomes.
	Plants: Preprophase band breaks down. Exact function of this
        structure is not know, maybe changes the cell wall to “mark the
        spot” for new cell wall formation during division.

Metaphase:
	Plants, Animals: Chromosomes align at spindle equator.

Anaphase:
	Plants, Animals: Chromosomes move towards cell poles.

Telophase:
	Plants, Animals: Nuclear envelopes reform and chromosomes begin to
        decondense, spindle breaks down.
	Animals: Contractile ring (actin, myosin) forms approximately
        midway between the two nuclei in the dividing cell.
	Plants: Phragmoplast (actin, myosin, microtubules) forms in center
        of cell, where new cell wall will be formed.

Cytokinesis (actual division):
	Animals: Contractile ring contracts and pinches the two daughter
        cells apart.
	Plants: Phragmoplast extends to cell wall on both sides of
        original cell, new cell wall  between the two daughter cells is
        completed.

cytoskeleton (microtubules, actin filaments etc.):  http://www.a
ccessexcellence.org/AB/GG/cytoSkeleton.html

chromosome: http://www.acc
essexcellence.org/AB/GG/chromosome.html

mitosis: http://www.access
excellence.org/AB/GG/mitosis.html http://www.bioweb.unc
c.edu/biol1110/Stages.htm (actual micrographs of 
plant and animal mitosis are shown here)