Mitosis and meiosis

• Mitosis is a process of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells developing from a single parent cell. 
• Used by single-celled organisms to reproduce. Also used for the organic growth of tissues, fibers, and membranes.
• Meiosis, on the other hand, is the division of a germ cell involving two fissions of the nucleus and giving rise to four gametes, or sex cells, each possessing half the number of chromosomes of the original cell.
• Sexual reproduction of organisms. The male and female sex cells (i.e., egg and sperm) combine to create new, genetically different offspring.
• Genetic diversity

	Meiosis	Mitosis
Definition	A type of cellular reproduction in which the number of chromosomes are reduced by half through the separation of homologous chromosomes, producing two haploid cells.	A process of asexual reproduction in which the cell divides in two producing a replica, with an equal number of chromosomes in each resulting diploid cell.
Function	Genetic diversity through sexual reproduction.	Cellular reproduction and general growth and repair of the body.
Type of Reproduction	Sexual	Asexual
Occurs in	Humans, animals, plants, fungi.	All organisms.
Genetically	Different	Identical
Crossing Over	Yes, mixing of chromosomes can occur.	No, crossing over cannot occur.
Pairing of Homologs	Yes	No
Number of Divisions	2	1
Number of Daughter Cells produced	4 haploid cells	2 diploid cells
Chromosome Number	Reduced by half.	Remains the same.
Steps	(Meiosis 1) Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I; (Meiosis 2) Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II and Telophase II.	Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase.
Karyokinesis	Occurs in Interphase I.	Occurs in Interphase.
Cytokinesis	Occurs in Telophase I and in Telophase II.	Occurs in Telophase.
Centromeres Split	The centromeres do not separate during anaphase I, but during anaphase II.	The centromeres split during anaphase.
Creates	Sex cells only: female egg cells or male sperm cells.	Makes everything other than sex cells.
Discovered by	Oscar Hertwig	Walther Flemming