Mitosis vs. Meiosis

Main Difference

Cell division is one of the essential processes in multicellular organisms as it starts from the one cell, and later gives rise to the other cells. The process of cell reproduction and division are classified into two types; mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis is the process of cell division that takes place both in the sexual and asexual reproducing organisms, whereas meiosis is the type of cell division that only takes place in the sexually reproducing organisms. In mitosis, the single parent cell is further divided into two genetically identical daughter cells, where the number of chromosomes both in parent and daughter cell remains the same. On the other hand, in meiosis the nucleus of the cell gives rise to the four gametes cell, which has half the number of chromosomes as compared to that of the original cell.

Difference Between Mitosis and Meiosis

Comparison Chart

What is Mitosis?

Mitosis is known as the equational cell division as in this process the number of chromosomes in parent and daughter cells remain very same. In this type of cell division the parent cell is further divided into two daughter cells. The process of mitosis takes place both in sexually and asexually reproducing organisms. Mitosis occurs in the somatic cell of the organism body, and its results in the formation of the two genetically identical daughter cells. Mitosis is useful for the process of growth of the fibers, tissues, and organic growth of the tissues in the organism’s body. It mainly comprises of the four main phases; Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase and Telophase. As we know that Mitosis occurs in all the organisms, irrespective of their sexual or asexual reproductive nature, when this process takes place in plants, it has an additional phase, known as the preprophase that happens before the prophase. In mitosis, the cell divides for only once, the parent cell getting divided into two daughter cells. The process of duplication of chromosomes take place in the initial stages of prophase and the division of centromeres takes place during the anaphase. The prophase in mitosis is quite simpler and can be done within few hours while prophase in meiosis is complex, and it’s further divided into following phases Zygotene, Leptotene, Pachytene, Diplotene, and Diakinesis.

What is Meiosis?

Meiosis is known as the reduction cell division as the number of chromosomes is reduced to half when the original cell is divided into the four gametes or the sex cells. It should be kept mentioned that the process of meiosis takes place in the germ cells of the organisms as this process of division is only limited to the sexually reproducing organisms. The process of meiosis comprises of the following phases and steps: (Meiosis 1) Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I; (Meiosis 2) Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II and Telophase II. In this type of cell division, the process of Karyokinesis takes place in the Interphase I and the division of centromeres takes place during the anaphase II, not the anaphase I. In meiosis the cell division takes place two times, leading to the formation of the four gametes or sex cells. Although the division of chromosomes takes place only once. The number of chromosomes gets reduced to haploid from the diploid. This cell division process is quite handy as it actively takes part in the formation of meispores or gametes, which leads to the production of offspring after the process of mating in between the parent cells.