The meiosis and mitosis modes of cell division are critical to the survival of living organisms. The two processes are slightly similar in their molecular mechanism but also exhibit significant differences in a wide range of aspects. According to Sato, Kakui, & Toya (2021), mitosis and meiosis differ in purpose, types of cells, number of daughter cells, genetic variation, and recombination. This paper reviews the process of meiosis and mitosis and exemplifies critical differences between the two types of cell division. Mitosis occurs in somatic cells and aims at promoting growth or regeneration, whereas meiosis (reduction division) occurs in gametes and involves the production of germ cells (Sato et al., 2021). Somatic division entails chromosomal duplication in the S phase to generate sister chromatids, which undergo four stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, without DNA crossover between the chromatids.
In gamete division, however, DNA replication precedes chromosomal recombination. The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes only occurs in reduction division. For that reason, meiotic daughter cells exhibit genetic diversity, while mitotic end cells emerge as clones of the parent cell (Sato et al., 2021). Meiosis also involves two division cycles in that there is a repetition of the four critical phases of mitosis (Sato et al., 2021). This results in four haploid daughter cells instead of two diploid daughter cells, as in mitosis. The length and events of each phase also differ according to the type of cell division. For instance, the prophase is longer in meiosis than mitosis and involves chromosomal recombination, absent in somatic division (Sato et al., 2021). Considerable differences exist between the processes of mitosis and meiosis; nevertheless, the two modes of cell division work parallel to sustain life.
Reference
Sato, M., Kakui, Y., & Toya, M. (2021). Tell the difference between mitosis and meiosis: Interplay between chromosomes, cytoskeleton, and cell cycle regulation. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9(660322).