What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis?
mitosis: cell division: the process by which a cell divides into two daughter cells, each of which has the same number of chromosomes as the original cell. See also meiosis (sense 1) [Late 19th century. < Greek mitos "thread"] http://encarta.msn.com/…/…onaryResults.aspx Biology a type of cell division in which daughter cells have the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus. http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/mitosis a process that takes place in the nucleus of a dividing cell, involves typically a series of steps consisting of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, and results in the formation of two new nuclei each having the same number of chromosomes as the parent nucleus
Mitosis is ‘normal’ cell division when a ‘mother cell’ splits into two ‘daughter cells’. Mitosis is involved in growth, tissue repair, asexual reproduction (by microbes etc.). Meiosis is a special type of cell division that occurs in sexual reproduction to make ‘gametes’: sperm and eggs in animals, pollen and ovules in plants. Gametes only have half the number of chromosomes as ‘normal’ cells. In Diploid organisms (animals & funghi) a ‘normal’ cell has 2 copies of each chromosome (‘sister chromosomes’), one from the mother and one from the father. In meiosis these line up in pairs and are separated into two ‘haploid’ cells which are the gametes. These gametes then recombine (sperm meets egg in mammals) to form a new diploid cell from which a new organism grows with a unique set of genetic material – half from the mother and half from the father. I don’t THINK there are any differences between mitosis in funghi and animals, although I may be wrong. The general stages are: Interphase – n
Mitosis is where eukarytic cells separates the chromosome and its nucleus into 2 daughter cells. It all starts with Interphases where the chromosomes goes into stages G1, S, G2 and finally Mitosis. IT starts with Prophases where the cell looks like ball od noddles, all together in the center of the cell, Metaphase microtubules attach the knetochores to pull them to the opposite side of the cell. metaphase The chromosomes have aligned at the metaphase plate. Anaphase Kinetochore microtubules shorten. Telophase: The decondensing chromosomes are surrounded by nuclear membranes. Note cytokinesis has already begun, the pinching is known as the cleavage furrow. Meiosis ( i love Meisios) is like the second part of Mitosis, it starts with two chromosomes and ends with 4 daughter cells, The process of Mitosis is repeated twice and it only has one cytokinises phase.
