What are the differences 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 different types of cell division that occur in living organisms. Mitosis is a process that takes place in the cell nucleus and results in the formation of two new cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell. This type of cell division is used for growth and repair within an organism. It involves one division and produces two daughter cells that each contain the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

On the other hand, meiosis is a type of cell division that results in four 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. Meiosis is used for sexual reproduction and produces cells called gametes (in humans, these are the sperm and egg cells). It involves two divisions and results in four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. This reduction in chromosome number is crucial for maintaining the correct number of chromosomes in sexually reproducing organisms.

Another key difference between mitosis and meiosis is the process of genetic recombination, which only occurs during meiosis. During the first division of meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange segments of DNA in a process called crossing over. This leads to a shuffling of genetic material and is a major source of genetic variation in offspring.

In summary, while both mitosis and meiosis are essential processes of cell division, they serve different purposes and result in different outcomes. Mitosis is used for growth and repair, producing two identical cells, while meiosis is used for sexual reproduction, producing four genetically diverse cells.