Mitosis versus meiosis
Differences
Mitosis
- Involves one cell division
- Results in two daughter cells
- Results in diploid daughter cells (chromosome number remains the same as parent cell)
- Daughter cells are genetically identical
- Occurs in all organisms except viruses
- Creates all body cells (somatic) apart from the germ cells (eggs and sperm)
- Prophase is much shorter
- No recombination/crossing over occurs in prophase.
- In metaphase individual chromosomes (pairs of chromatids) line up along the equator
- During anaphase the sister chromatids are separated to opposite poles
Meiosis
- Involves two successive cell divisions
- Results in four daughter cells
- Results in haploid daughter cells (chromosome number is halved from the parent cell)
- Daughter cells are genetically different
- Occurs only in animals, plants and fungi
- Creates germ cells (eggs and sperm) only
- Prophase I takes much longer
- Involves recombination/crossing over of chromosomes in prophase I
- In metaphase I pairs of chromosomes line up along the equator
- During anaphase I the sister chromatids move together to the same pole
- During anaphase II the sister chromatids are separated to opposite poles
Similarities
Mitosis
- Diploid parent cell
- Consists of interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase
- In metaphase individual chromosomes (pairs of chromatids) line up along the equator
- During anaphase the sister chromatids are separated to opposite poles
- Ends with cytokinesis
Meiosis
- Diploid parent cell
- Consists of interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase (but twice!)
- In metaphase II individual chromosomes (pairs of chromatids) line up along the equator
- During anaphase II the sister chromatids are separated to opposite poles
- Ends with cytokinesis
This page was last updated on 2023-01-13
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