Which stage does NOT occur during mitosis?

The correct answer is the growth phase because this stage, which refers to interphase, occurs before mitosis begins. Interphase is a critical period where the cell grows, duplicates its DNA, and prepares for cell division. It consists of three sub-phases: G1 (first gap), S (synthesis, where DNA is replicated), and G2 (second gap), where the cell continues to grow and prepares for mitotic division.

In contrast, the stages that occur during mitosis—prophase, metaphase, and telophase—are all directly involved in the process of cell division. During prophase, chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes. In metaphase, chromosomes align at the cell's equator, ensuring each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes. Telophase involves the reformation of the nuclear envelope around the separated sister chromatids, completing the process of mitosis before cytokinesis occurs.