Basis of differentiation | Mitosis | Meiosis |
Definition | A type of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells having the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell | A type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes as its parent cell (for production of gametes) |
Cell division | During mitosis, a somatic cell divides once, cytokinesis occurs at the end of telophase | A reproductive cell divides twice, cytokinesis occurs at the end of telophase I and II |
Daughter cell number | Mitosis produces 2 daughter cells, each cell is diploid containing the same number of chromosomes | Meiosis produces 4 daughter cells, each cell is haploid containing half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell |
Length of prophase | During prophase in mitosis, a cell spends less time in prophase than a cell in prophase I of meiosis | Prophase I has five stages and lasts longer than prophase of mitosis. The five stages of meiotic prophase I are leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene, and diakinesis. |
Genetic composition/variation | The resulting daughter cells in mitosis are genetically identical (no recombination or crossing over occurs and thus no genetic variation occurs) | The resulting daughter cells have different combinations of genes. Genetic recombination occurs due to the random segregation of homologous chromosomes into different cells and through crossing over (genetic variation increases |
Chromosome alignment in metaphase | Sister chromatids align at the metaphase plate in mitosis | Tetrads align at the metaphase plate in metaphase I |
Tetrad formation | Tetrad formation does not occur ` | In prophase I, homologous chromosome pairs line up together forming tetrads (two sets of sister chromatids) |
Chromosome separation | During anaphase, sister chromatids separate and migrate toward opposite poles of the cell | Homologous chromosomes migrate toward the opposite poles of the cell during anaphase I (sister chromatids don’t separate in anaphase I) |
Steps | Has 6 steps total | Has 9 steps in total |
Occurrence | Occurs in somatic cells | Occurs in germ cells |
Chromosome number | Chromosome number remains the same | Chromosome number is halved in each daughter cell |
Purpose | The purpose of mitosis is cell proliferation | The purpose of meiosis is sexual reproduction |