Mitosis is the cell division process involved in the growth and repair of the body, while meiosis is the type of cell division that produces gametes (sex cells).
Mitosis
Function:
Mitosis is responsible for cell division that occurs in all somatic (non-sex) cells. It ensures growth and repair of tissues by producing identical daughter cells from a parent cell.
Process:
In mitosis, a single cell divides once to produce two identical daughter cells. The chromosome number remains the same.
Meiosis
Function:
Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that produces gametes (sperm and egg cells).
Process:
Meiosis involves two rounds of cell division, resulting in four haploid (half the number of chromosomes) daughter cells. This reduction in chromosome number is crucial for maintaining the correct chromosome number in the offspring during sexual reproduction.