Meaning & use
chromatid
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Meaning
nouncountablebiology
One of the two identical strands that form when a chromosome copies itself before cell division.
Grammar: Countable: one chromatid, two chromatids. Often used in the plural.
Patterns
- sister chromatids
- a pair of chromatids
During mitosis, the sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles.
Each chromatid contains a complete copy of the DNA.
The centromere holds the two chromatids together until anaphase.
Word forms
| plural | chromatids |
|---|
Common combinations
- sister chromatids
- The sister chromatids are pulled apart by spindle fibers.
- pair of chromatids
- A pair of chromatids is joined at the centromere.
- chromatid separation
- Errors in chromatid separation can lead to genetic disorders.
Word family
- chromosome noun
- The structure that contains DNA and becomes visible during cell division.
- chromatin noun
- The material of which chromosomes are made, consisting of DNA and proteins.
Commonly confused: chromatid or chromosome? chromatid or chromatin?
chromatid vs chromosome
A chromosome is the whole structure; a chromatid is one of its two identical halves after replication.
chromatid vs chromatin
Chromatin is the substance that forms chromosomes; a chromatid is a single strand of a replicated chromosome.
Practice
When does a chromosome consist of two chromatids?
Choose one answer.
A chromosome has two chromatids after replication, while they are still joined. Before replication, it is a single chromatid (not usually called a chromatid). After division, each new cell gets one chromatid per chromosome.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chromatid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.