Mitosis and Meiosis
Though considered to be microscopic, cells reproduce themselves in an elaborate cycle called the cell cycle (Morgan, 2007, p.1). Some processes involved in the cell division cycle are mitosis and meiosis which are often confused with each other.
Mitosis or nuclear division is the complex process by which the eukaryotic cell divides the chromosomes in its nucleus equally into two identical daughter nuclei (Morgan, 2007, p.4). Mitosis is also one of the major processes involved in the second major phase of the cell cycle called the mitotic phase. . The stages in mitosis are interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase (Hollingsworth, et. al., 2008, p.158).
Meiosis on the other hand is a specialized form of cell division for it produces four genetically distinct haploid cells (Norman, et. al., 2007, p.104). Haploid cells are those which contain only a single copy of each chromosome. This reductive cell division is found only in gamete production or oogenesis and spermatogenesis. Meiosis also requires two rounds of cell division the first round which produces genetic variation and the second round which generates the aforementioned haploid cells.
The main difference of mitosis and meiosis is that in mitosis, there is only a single division which produces two daughter cells while in meiosis there are two successive divisions which yield a total of four cells (Berg, 2007, p. 250). Also, in mitosis the daughter cells contain identical sets of chromosomes while in meiosis, one chromosome of each pair is distributed randomly in daughter cells. Most importantly, mitosis can happen to all the cells in the body unlike meiosis which happens only in gamete production.
Both cycles are important in growth and development of a living organism. Despite often being confused with each other, both processes are important in the cell cycle of an organism.
Mitosis or nuclear division is the complex process by which the eukaryotic cell divides the chromosomes in its nucleus equally into two identical daughter nuclei (Morgan, 2007, p.4). Mitosis is also one of the major processes involved in the second major phase of the cell cycle called the mitotic phase. . The stages in mitosis are interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase (Hollingsworth, et. al., 2008, p.158).
Meiosis on the other hand is a specialized form of cell division for it produces four genetically distinct haploid cells (Norman, et. al., 2007, p.104). Haploid cells are those which contain only a single copy of each chromosome. This reductive cell division is found only in gamete production or oogenesis and spermatogenesis. Meiosis also requires two rounds of cell division the first round which produces genetic variation and the second round which generates the aforementioned haploid cells.
The main difference of mitosis and meiosis is that in mitosis, there is only a single division which produces two daughter cells while in meiosis there are two successive divisions which yield a total of four cells (Berg, 2007, p. 250). Also, in mitosis the daughter cells contain identical sets of chromosomes while in meiosis, one chromosome of each pair is distributed randomly in daughter cells. Most importantly, mitosis can happen to all the cells in the body unlike meiosis which happens only in gamete production.
Both cycles are important in growth and development of a living organism. Despite often being confused with each other, both processes are important in the cell cycle of an organism.
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