Question

How are the processes of mitosis and meiosis different? When are each occurring? What is the final product of each? How does each process contribute to genetic variation that makes each human a unique individual?  

Answer 1

The differences are:

• Mitosis is an equational division thak takes place in somatic cells while meiosis is a reductional division that ocuurs in germ cells.
• Mitosis occurs in somatic cells while meiosis occurs in germ cells.
• Mitosis includes 1 cell division while meiosis includes 2 cell divisions.
• In mitosis nsynapsis ocuurs while in meiosis no synapsis occurs in prophase I.
• Prophase is simple in mitosis while in meiosis ,it is divided into 5 stages.
• Crossing over and chiasmata formation is seen in mitosis while it is absent in meiosis.
• The daughter cells are identical to parent cells in mitosis while in meiosis ,they are are mixture of both paternal and maternal genes.

Mitosis occurs when there is need for more cells during somatic cell growth while meiosis occurs suring growth of gamete or sex cells.

The final product is 2 identical diploid daughter cells formed from diploid parent cell in case of mitosis and 4 daughter cells each with half of the parental and maternal chromosomes and showing genetic variation.

Mitosis results in identical daughter cells from parent cell each cell with same 2n chromosomes as that of parents while meiosis involves crossing over and chiasmata formation and two divisions as a result of which genetically variant 4 daughter cells are formd each with half of the chromosomes from paternal and maternal cells.