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A diagram comparing mitosis vs. meiosis, Image credit: Khan Academy (n.d.), https://www.khanacademy.org

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Purpose: Used for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction.

Number of Divisions: 1

Phases: Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, Cytokinesis

What Happens:

DNA duplicates once

Chromosomes line up, and sister chromatids are pulled apart.

Two daughter cells are formed.

Outcome:

2 genetically identical diploid cells

Full set of chromosomes (46 in humans)

Overall, Mitosis is the process that helps organisms grow and repair tissues. It occurs in somatic (body) cells and results in two identical daughter cells, each with the full number of chromosomes (46 in humans) (OpenStax, 2020).

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A diagram comparing mitosis vs. meiosis, Image credit: Khan Academy (n.d.), https://www.khanacademy.org

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Purpose: Produces gametes (sperm and egg) for sexual reproduction.

Number of Divisions: 2

Phases: Meiosis I and Meiosis II

What Happens:

DNA duplicates once, but the cell divides twice

In Meiosis I, homologous chromosomes separate.

In Meiosis II, sister chromatids separate.

Crossing over and independent assortment occur

Outcome:

4 genetically unique haploid cells

Half a set of chromosomes (23 in humans)

Overall, Meiosis is the cell division process that forms gametes (sperm and egg cells). It involves two divisions, producing four non-identical haploid cells, each with half the DNA (23 chromosomes in humans) (OpenStax, 2020).

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cell division, Image credit: Khan Academy (n.d.), https://www.khanacademy.org

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Crossing Over (Prophase I): Homologous chromosomes exchange DNA, creating new gene combinations.

Independent Assortment (Metaphase I): Chromosome pairs line up randomly and separate independently.

These two processes generate genetic diversity in offspring.

This explains Mendel’s Law of Independent Assortment, which states genes are passed to offspring independently of one another (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2023).

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Khan Academy. (n.d.). Mitosis. https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/cell-division/mitosis/a/what-is-mitosis

Learn Genetics, University of Utah. (n.d.). What is meiosis? https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/meiosis

National Human Genome Research Institute. (n.d.). Meiosis. https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Meiosis

OpenStax. (2020). Biology 2e. OpenStax, Rice University. https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/10-introduction

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2023). How do genes separate? https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/inheritance/genesseparate/

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.question
 During which phase do sister chromatids separate?”