Ana amfani da kalmar “prophase” da farko a fannin ilimin halitta, musamman wajen nazarin rabon sel. Yana nufin matakin farko na mitosis ko meiosis, lokacin da chromatin da ke cikin tsakiya ya tattara zuwa cikin chromosomes na bayyane kuma na'urar spindle ta fara samuwa. kafin," da kuma "lokaci" yana nufin wani takamaiman mataki a cikin tsari. Saboda haka, "prophase" a zahiri yana nufin "kafin lokaci" ko "farkon mataki na tsari."