What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis?

Mitosis is a process of cell division resulting in two identical cells, while meiosis results in four genetically different cells.

Mitosis and meiosis are two fundamental processes in biology, both involving cell division. However, they serve different purposes and result in different outcomes. Mitosis is a process that occurs in all living organisms, leading to cell growth, repair, and asexual reproduction. It results in two daughter cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell, each with the same number of chromosomes.

On the other hand, meiosis is a special type of cell division that only occurs in organisms that reproduce sexually. It takes place in the sex cells or gametes (sperm in males and eggs in females) and results in four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell. These cells are not identical to the parent cell or to each other, which leads to genetic diversity in offspring.

The processes of mitosis and meiosis also differ in their stages. Mitosis consists of four main stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. In contrast, meiosis includes two rounds of division, meiosis I and meiosis II, each with their own prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. This is why meiosis results in four daughter cells, rather than the two produced by mitosis.

In summary, while both mitosis and meiosis are essential processes of cell division, they differ significantly in their purpose, outcome, and stages. Mitosis leads to growth and repair by producing identical cells, while meiosis contributes to sexual reproduction and genetic diversity by producing genetically different cells.