The anticancer drug paclitaxel, derived from the pacific yew has many effects on mitosis. one of its most powerful effects is that it prevents disassembly of the mitotic spindle, which prevents spindle fibers from shortening. which phase of mitosis would the directly affect? why would this stop cell division overall and lead to cell death?

Mitosis is the process of cellular division in which the DNA gets duplicated followed by the division of nucleus and the cytoplasm. Mitosis consists of four stages, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. The divides cells or the daughter cells are genetically alike as a result of this process.

It can be evident from the image that the anticancer drug paclitaxel which prevents spindle fibers from shortening will affect the anaphase of the mitosis process. This would lead to incomplete cell division of the parent cell, leading to cell death.