In which phase of mitosis do chromosomes align at the cell's equatorial plate?

During metaphase, chromosomes align at the cell's equatorial plate, also known as the metaphase plate. This positioning is crucial for the proper segregation of chromosomes during cell division. At this stage, the spindle fibers attached to the chromosomes ensure that each sister chromatid is oriented in the correct direction, ready to be pulled apart.

This alignment occurs after prophase, where chromosomes condense and become visible, and before anaphase, where the sister chromatids separate and move towards opposite poles of the cell. Telophase follows anaphase, involving the reformation of the nuclear envelope around the separated chromosomes and the beginning of cytokinesis, but at that point, the chromosomes are no longer aligned at the equatorial plate. Thus, the defining characteristic of metaphase is the arrangement of chromosomes along the equatorial plane of the cell, preparing for the next steps in mitosis.