Mitosis: Number of chromosomes in cells production
Meiosis: Number of chromosomes in cells production.
In mitosis, the number of chromosomes in cells produced is the same as the starting cell. Mitosis is a type of cell division that occurs in somatic (body) cells and results in the production of two identical daughter cells. The goal of mitosis is to create new cells for growth, repair and maintenance of the body.
During mitosis, the parent cell's chromosomes duplicate, resulting in two identical sets of chromosomes. These duplicated chromosomes, called sister chromatids, are then separated and distributed equally into the two daughter cells. Therefore, each daughter cell produced through mitosis contains the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. For example, if the parent cell has 46 chromosomes, each daughter cell will also have 46 chromosomes.
On the other hand, meiosis is a type of cell division that occurs in reproductive cells (gametes) and leads to the formation of four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The main purpose of meiosis is to produce haploid gametes (sperm and eggs) that have half the genetic material of the parent cell.
During meiosis, the parent cell's chromosomes also duplicate just like in mitosis. However, there are two rounds of cell division in meiosis: meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, the homologous pairs of chromosomes (one set from each parent) separate, resulting in two cells with a reduced number of chromosomes. These cells then undergo meiosis II, during which the sister chromatids separate, resulting in the formation of four haploid daughter cells.
So, in summary, mitosis produces two daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, whereas meiosis produces four daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.