Mitosis Vs. Meiosis: A Look At The Similarities And Differences
Compare/Contrast Mitosis & Meiosis
There are two types of cell division that humans and animals can experience: Mitosis or Meiosis. Both have similarities, but there are some important differences. For example, they differ in their goals and the results of division. The process of Mitosis or Meiosis, in which a cell splits in half and produces two identical cells, is called Mitosis. It reproduces the parent’s DNA. It is used to grow and repair cells. Mitosis is how cells divide normally. Meiosis is the process used in sex cell reproduction. Only half of the DNA chromosomes are transferred to the Meiosis-produced cells. While Mitosis & Meiosis have many similarities, they also differ in important aspects.
Both Mitosis as well as Meiosis aim to transmit genetic information from one cell to multiple cells. This cell division process uses chromosomes within the nuclei of cells. The Mitosis process has four stages, Meiosis 8 stages. Meiosis has the same four stages as Mitosis, including prophase. Metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and metaphase. Meiosis replicates the 4 stages, with the exception of metaphase 2. This is where the chromosomes line-up in the middle cell. They are then arranged in homologous pairs. Once the chromosomes have aligned in their middle, the spindles from the prophase stage pull them apart. The result of mitosis after four stages is two diploid cells. The other end product of mitosis is four haploid daughter cells, which have different genetic information than their parent cell. Some DNA comes directly from the mother’s egg while some is derived from the father sperm. These are the main differences between Mitosis (or Meiosis) and Meiosis. The stages of Mitosis or Meiosis are nearly identical, with minor differences in the amounts and sequences. The interphase stages consist of the substages S, G1, and 2. Interphase includes metaphase, prophase, anaphase, telophase and anaphase. The cytokinesis stage, where the cytoplasm divides and 2 cells are divided, is part of Mitosis. Meiosis, on the other hand, goes through five stages interphase 1, metaphase 1 and anaphase 1. Then it moves through cytokinesis which divides the cytoplasm to create new cells. Next, mitosis goes through the same cycle. It has interphase 2, telophase 2, metaphase 2 and prophase 2. Next comes cytokinesis. The cycle has all the same stages as mitosis except for metaphase 2, where the chromosomes are not arranged in the middle but instead line up in pairs.
While Mitosis, and Meiosis both involve cell division, they work in similar ways. However, the goals of each process are different. They both are essential to life.
