What Is The Difference between Mitosis and Meiosis?

What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis? Mitosis is the growth and repair of somatic (body) cells while meiosis is the production of gametes (sperm and egg cells) for sexual reproduction. 

Mitosis and meiosis are both processes involved in cell division, but they have distinct differences in their purposes and outcomes.

Mitosis is a process of cell division for growth and repair, producing genetically identical daughter cells with the same chromosome number as the parent cell. Meiosis is a process of cell division for sexual reproduction, resulting in genetically diverse gametes with half the chromosome number of the parent cell.

Difference Between Mitosis and Meiosis (With Table)

Basic Terms Mitosis Meiosis
Type of Reproduction Asexual Sexual
Genetics of Daughter cell Similar Different
Cross Over No mixing There is a mixing of chromosomes
The phase of cell division One Two
Pairing of homologs Absent Present
Mother cells Either Haploid or diploid Diploid only
Number of daughter cells 2 diploid cells 4 haploid cells
Chromosomes number Remain the same Reduce by half
Chromosome pairing Do not take place Occur during zygotene of prophase I and continue up to metaphase I.
Function Creation of body cells except for sex cells Creation of sex cells only
Place of occurrence Somatic cells Reproductive cells
Chiasmata Absent Present during prophase I and metaphase I.
Spindle Fibres Disappear during telophase Do not disappear during telophase I
Nucleoli Reappear at telophase Absent during telophase I
Steps Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase. (Meiosis 1) Interphase I, Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I; (Meiosis 2) Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II, and Telophase II.
Karyokinesis Occurs in Interphase. Occurs in Interphase I.
Cytokinesis This occurs in Telophase. This occurs in Telophase I and in Telophase II.
Centromeres Split During anaphase. During anaphase II
Prophase Simple and take a few hours Complicated and take several days
Synapsis Do not occur Occur during prophase
Exchange of Segments Two chromatids of a chromosome do not exchange segments during prophase. Chromatids of two homologous chromosome exchange segments during crossing over.
Chromosome Alignment in Metaphase Sister chromatids align at the metaphase plate. Tetrads align at the metaphase plate in metaphase I.
Chromosome Separation during anaphase Sister chromatids separate and begin migrating centromere first toward opposite poles of the cell. Homologous chromosomes migrate toward opposite poles of the cell during anaphase I. Sister chromatids do not separate in anaphase I.
Tetrad Formation Do not take place Occur during prophase I
Discovered by Walther Flemming Oscar Hertwig.

What Is Mitosis?

Mitosis is a process of cell division that occurs in somatic (body) cells. It is a fundamental mechanism for growth, development, and tissue repair in multicellular organisms. During mitosis, a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The main stages of mitosis are:

Interphase: This is the phase before mitosis begins. The cell undergoes normal growth and carries out its normal functions. Chromosomes are duplicated during this phase.

Prophase: Chromosomes condense and become visible. The nuclear envelope begins to break down, and spindle fibers start to form.

Metaphase: Chromosomes align at the center (equator) of the cell, forming the metaphase plate.

Anaphase: Chromatids (sister chromatids) of each chromosome separate and move towards opposite poles of the cell, pulled by the spindle fibers.

Telophase: Chromatids reach the opposite poles and de-condense back into chromatin. The nuclear envelope reforms around each set of chromosomes, creating two distinct nuclei.

Cytokinesis: The final stage involves the division of the cytoplasm, resulting in the formation of two separate daughter cells, each with its own nucleus and set of organelles.

The end result of mitosis is the production of two genetically identical diploid (2n) daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. This process ensures the maintenance of the chromosome number in the body cells and is essential for growth, development, and tissue repair. 

What Is Meiosis?

Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that occurs in the reproductive cells (germ cells) of sexually reproducing organisms. Unlike mitosis, which produces genetically identical daughter cells, meiosis results in the formation of gametes (sperm and egg cells) with half the chromosome number of the parent cell.

Meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction and contributes to genetic diversity. The process involves two consecutive cell divisions, known as Meiosis I and Meiosis II, each consisting of several stages:

Meiosis I
Prophase I: Chromosomes condense, and homologous chromosomes (maternal and paternal pairs) undergo genetic recombination through crossing over. This is a crucial step for introducing genetic diversity.

Metaphase I: Homologous chromosomes align at the metaphase plate.

Anaphase I: Homologous chromosomes separate and move to opposite poles of the cell.

Telophase I: Chromosomes reach the poles, and the cell undergoes cytokinesis, resulting in two daughter cells, each with a unique combination of chromosomes.

Meiosis II

Prophase II: Chromosomes, consisting of two chromatids each, condense.

Metaphase II: Chromosomes align at the metaphase plate in both daughter cells.

Anaphase II: Sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles.

Telophase II: Chromatids reach the poles, and the nuclear envelope reforms around each set of chromosomes. Cytokinesis occurs, resulting in a total of four haploid daughter cells.

The end result of meiosis is the production of four non-identical haploid (n) daughter cells, each with half the chromosome number of the parent cell. These haploid cells are gametes, and when fertilization occurs, combining a sperm and an egg restores the diploid chromosome number in the zygote, which develops into a new organism. 

Main Difference between Mitosis and Meiosis 

  1. The number of chromosomes during mitosis remains the same while during meiosis reduces by half.
  2. Mitosis takes place in somatic cells while meiosis take place in reproductive cells
  3. Mitosis results in the formation of two daughter cells while meiosis results in the formation of four daughter cells.
  4. Meiosis entails pairing of chromosomes whereas in mitosis there is no pairing of chromosomes
  5. Mitosis has one cell division with four stages while meiosis has two cell divisions with four stages each.

Similarities between Mitosis and Meiosis

  1. Both take part in cells
  2. Both involve multiplication of cells
  3. Both result in the synthesis of DNA
  4. Both happen in the M-phase of the cell cycle.
  5. No cardiac cells and nervous tissue involve in cell division
  6. The nucleus of both can be seen through a light microscope

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Conclusion

Cell division gives rise to two daughter cells and this is quite vital to promote the existence of all living organisms. Here the parent cell normally split to produce two or more daughter cells.

However, cell division comprises of both mitosis and meiosis. The difference between mitosis and meiosis in tabular form or point form is quite easy to comprehend.

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