Meiosis vs Mitosis

Cell division and reproduction can occur in two ways - mitosis and meiosis.

Mitosis is a process of cell duplication, or reproduction, during which one cell gives rise to two genetically identical daughter cells.

Meiosis, on the other hand, is a division of a germ cell involving two fissions of the nucleus and giving rise to four gametes, or sex cells, each possessing half the number of chromosomes of the original cell.

Mitosis is used by single celled organisms to reproduce; it is also used for the organic growth of tissues, fibers, and mibranes. Meiosis is useful for sexual reproduction of organisms; The male and female sex cells, e.g. the spermazoa and egg, fuse to create a new, singular biological organism.

Comparison chart

Meiosis Mitosis
Definition: A type of cellular reproduction in which the number of chromosomes are reduced by half through the separation of homologous chromosomes, producing two haploid cells. A process of asexual reproduction in which the cell divides in two producing a replica, with an equal number of chromosomes in each resulting diploid cell.
Function: sexual reproduction Cellular Reproduction & general growth and repair of the body
Type of Reproduction: Sexual Asexual
Occurs in: Humans, animals, plants, fungi all organisms
Genetically: different identical
Crossing Over: Yes, mixing of chromosomes can occur. No, crossing over cannot occur.
Pairing of Homologues: Yes No
Number of Divisions: 2 1
Number of Haploid Daughter Cells produced: 4 2
Chromosome Number: Reduced by half Remains the same
Steps: The steps of meiosis are Interphase, Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I, Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II and Telophase II. The steps of mitosis are Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and Cytokinesis
Karyokenesis: Occurs in Interphase I Occurs in Interphase
Cytokenesis: Occurs in Telophase I & Telohpase II Occurs in Telophase
Centromeres Split: The centromeres do not separate during anaphase I, but during anaphase II The centromeres split during Anaphase
Creates: Sex cells only: Female egg cells or Male sperm cells Makes everything other than sex cells
Discovered by: Oscar Hertwig Walther Flemming

Contents

Process Differences

Mitosis is a method of reproduction for single celled organisms that reproduce asexually. An identical version of the organism is created through splitting of the cell in two. Meiosis may result in millions of spermazoa and egg cells with unique genetic patterns. The mating of the two cells formed by meiosis results in a unique genetic offspring of the same species. Meiosis is a major factor in evolution, natural selection, and biodiversity. The processes of cellular division shown in mitosis and meiosis are present in all manner of life forms including humans, animals, plants, fungi, and single celled organisms and species. Essentially any cell based organism of which all organic life is based will exhibit some form of mitosis and meiosis for growth and reproduction of the individual and species.

Different Stages of Mitosis and Meiosis

The different phases of meiosis are: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase and Telophase.

An overview of the process and phases of meiosis
An overview of the process and phases of meiosis

The stages of mitosis are: Interphase, Preprophase, Prophase, Prometaphase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and Cytokinesis.

The process of mitosis
The process of mitosis

Differences in Purpose

Both Meiosis and Mitosis are found in complex organisms which reproduce sexually. Mitosis may be used for human growth, the replenishment of depleted organs and tissues, healing, and sustenance of the body. Identical versions of cells can be created to form tissues through Mitosis. Meiosis is a special process reserved for the creation of the egg and sperm cells. The same patterns may be found in many species of plant and animal cell reproduction.

Significance

The importance of mitosis is the maintenance of the chromosomal set; each cell formed receives chromosomes that are alike in composition and equal in number to the chromosomes of the parent cell.

Occurrence

Meiosis is found to occur in humans, animals and plants while mitosis is found in single-cell species as well.

History

Meiosis was discovered and described for the first time in sea urchin eggs in 1876, by noted German biologist Oscar Hertwig.

Walther Flemming discovered the process of Mitosis in 1882.

Evolution

Mitosis as a form of reproduction for single-cell organisms originated with life itself (around 4 billion years ago). Meiosis is thought to have appeared 1.4 billion years ago.

Chromosomal pattern comparison

In mitosis, each daughter cell ends up with two complete sets of chromosomes while in meiosis, each daughter cell ends up with one set of chromosomes.

Both mitosis and meiosis are studied by scientists generally by using a microscope to identify and classify chromosomal patterns and relationships within the cell’s structure. An understanding of the way cells synthesize chromosomes for reproduction can be applied in bio-machines and nano-technology. Transplantation of genes and chromosomes through injection and implantation is used to experiment with bio-engineering and cloning. Understanding the process through which cells replicate also has application in medicine and the study of health and disease.

Videos explaining the difference

Here are two videos (the first one short and the second is longer, more in-depth) that explain the process of mitosis and meiosis.

See Also

References

Comments: Meiosis vs Mitosis

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Anonymous comments

Quite useful! the chart helped me a lot in biology!

186.✗.✗.161 on 2013-04-24 21:33:57

They know, it says diploid not haploid

142.✗.✗.53 on 2013-02-28 18:16:30

mitosis doesn't produce any haploid daughter cells

70.✗.✗.91 on 2013-02-19 21:24:44

This will help enhance my study on forest genetics and tree breeding. Thnx alot

37.✗.✗.47 on 2013-01-28 23:20:15

im confused w/ purpose of process between mitosis & meiosis . . . (>.<) HELP ?

166.✗.✗.101 on 2013-01-28 16:53:57

Hi there, I'm quite sure that mitosis doesn't result in a haploid cell unless the parent cell is itself a haploid cell. Hence, I think there is a an error up there in the table. It should be diploid.

182.✗.✗.227 on 2012-11-09 06:47:16

Thankyou. :*

122.✗.✗.140 on 2012-08-16 05:06:07

Cytokinesis isn't a part of meiosis/mitosis, but other than that, it was helpful!

174.✗.✗.27 on 2012-06-07 02:21:41

this is really helpfull

169.✗.✗.146 on 2012-05-22 14:12:13

these graphs are very useful when it comes to study for a test

170.✗.✗.17 on 2012-05-10 14:35:36

Thank you for the information. It was very useful. YOLO

75.✗.✗.3 on 2012-05-03 20:32:01

this stuff was nicely used. Thanks buddy

208.✗.✗.35 on 2012-04-27 16:18:01

Three points to make, listed in order of increasing importance: Listing humans and animals separately might serve to emphasise that meiosis _does_ occur in human, but it also serves to draw a distinction between humans and animals that doesn't exist. A better phrasing would have been "animals (including humans), plants and fungi". Mitosis can produce two _haploid_ daughter cells, if it is a haploid cell undergoing mitosis. There is no reason for it to be only diploid cells that undergo mitosis, and it is in fact not the case. The key point is that the chromosome number does not change. Mitosis _DOES NOT_ occur in all organisms. Division of prokaryotic cells is not mitotic - there are no mitotic spindles and no chromosome condensation is involved. The process of prokaryotic cell division is entirely different, and is called binary fission. In fact, mitosis occurs in exactly the same organisms as meiosis.

62.✗.✗.72 on 2012-04-12 16:30:43

This was very helpful so I could study for my test!! :)

71.✗.✗.174 on 2012-02-27 23:54:02

thanks.

122.✗.✗.194 on 2012-02-12 16:21:47

you must add understandable charts that differentiate mitosis and meiosis

119.✗.✗.194 on 2011-12-11 09:43:12

well explained i think i will carry it across in class and show a good demonstration

2.✗.✗.118 on 2011-11-12 06:49:24

i am not a bio student but this topic is very interesting.Now with clear concept of both i can even help some bio students

180.✗.✗.47 on 2011-07-14 15:02:56

Added definitions as according to: Campbell, Neil A., and Jane B. Reece. Biology with MasteringBiology(TM) (8th Edition). San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2007. Print.

71.✗.✗.219 on 2010-01-10 18:28:08

Meiosis and Mitosis have one similarity and some differences. One similarity is step. They proceded by Interphase. One difference is type of reproduction. Meiosis is sexual. Mitosis is asexual. Another difference is number of divisions. Meiosis has 2 nuclear and cytoplasmic divisions. Mitosis has 1 division of the nucleus in Cytokinesis.

58.✗.✗.109 on 2009-08-24 02:17:57

In an early comment, the text states that mitosis occurs in sexual reproduction. I think this is a typo. Mitosis occurs in asexual reproduction. kkenigsb@optonline.neten

68.✗.✗.205 on 2008-07-14 17:24:52

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