Prophase (from the Greek πρό, "before" and φάσις, "stage"), is a stage of mitosis in which the chromatin  condenses into double rod-shaped structures called chromosomes in which the chromatin becomes visible. This process, called chromatin condensation, is involved with the condensin complex. Since the genetic material has been replicated in the prior interphase of the cell cycle, there are two identical copies of each chromosome in the cell. Those copies are called sister chromatids and they are attached to each other at a DNA element present on every chromosome called the centromere. Also during prophase, giemsa staining can be applied to elicit G-banding in chromosomes.