Anaphase differs from metaphase in having

In the metaphase stage, all the chromosomes are arranged at the cell equator. All the chromosomes have two chromatids, joined at the centromere. These are called sister chromatids. The centromere splits in the anaphase stage and the two sister chromatids go to opposite poles. They are now called as chromosomes. They have single chromatid which will duplicate into two sister chromatids in the S phase. Thus, at the anaphase stage number of chromosomes remains the same even as the number of chromatids is reduced to one-half due to the splitting of the centromere.