What is Difference between Mitosis and Meiosis?
Differences between mitosis and meiosis are given on the basis of various criteria.
| Mitosis | Meiosis |
|---|---|
| Occurs in body or somatic cells, continuously | Occurs in germ cells during the process of gamete formation |
| Single division process | Two divisions, one-way process, it cannot be said to engage in a cell cycle as mitosis |
| A mitotic mother cell can be either haploid or diploid | Meiocyte is always diploid |
| A single division of the chromosomes and the nucleus | A single division of the chromosomes but a double division of the nucleus |
| Mitosis is preceded by interphase, especially S-phase in which the amount of DNA is duplicated by replication. | Only meiosis I is preceded by S-phase, in interphase of meiosis II there is no replication of DNA. |
| The number of chromosomes remains the same in mitosis | The number of chromosomes is reduced to half |
| Homologous chromosomes do not pair | Homologous chromosomes undergo synapsis to form bivalents, in prophase 1. |
| Chaismata are not formed | Chaismata may be formed |
| No crossing over | Crossing over occur |
| The centromeres split during anaphase | The centromeres do not split during anaphase I, but during anaphase II |
| Telophase always occurs | The first telophase is sometimes omitted |
| Results in two daughter cells | Results in four daughter cells |
| Daughter cells are identical to the parent cell | Daughter cells are genetically different from parent cells |
| Significance of mitosis – Growth, Repair, Asexual reproduction | Significance of meiosis – Creation of genetic variation |