Compare and contraste mitosis and meiosis

Both are forms of cell division.

Both are used during gametogenesis (formation of gametes or sex cells such as spermatozoa and oocytes).

Only mitosis is used during cell division of somatic or body cells.

Meiosis is a longer and more complex process with eight stages (prophase one and two, metaphase one and two, anaphase one and two, telophase one and two). Mitosis only has four stages, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.

Due to the repetition of the stages, meiosis has two cell divisions and mitosis only has one cell division.

Due to this difference, meiosis produces four daughter cells that are haploid, and have half the number of chromosomes found in a somatic cell (in a human they would have 23 chromosomes, haploid is read as "n" in genetics). These daughter cells are also genetically different.

Mitosis however produces just two daughter cells which are diploid (therefore have 46 chromosomes) and are genetically identical, in genetics diploid is read as "2n".

In Brief;

Mitosis:

1) Cell divides to form 2 cells

2) Daughter cells are diploid

3) No genetic variations

4) Daughter cells are identical

5) Mitosis happens generally in somatic cells.

Meiosis:

1) Cell divides to form 4 cells

2) Daughter cells are haploid

3) There is genetic variation due to crossing over

4) Daughter cells are not identical; they have genetic variations

5) Meiosis is divided into two : Meiosis 1 and Meiosis 2.

6) Mostly happen to form gametes!

@some similarities are:

1) Both Mitosis and Meiosis are types of cell division in which one cell gives rise to more than one cell.

2) Both follow duplication of chromosomes.

3) Both include breakdown of the nuclear membrane.

4) Both require spindle fibers to move chromosomes around.

5) Meiosis is divided in two process in which Meiosis 2 is similar to mitotic division as both are equational division.