The Core Purpose of Mitosis vs. Meiosis
The fundamental difference between mitosis and meiosis lies in their purpose and outcome. Mitosis is a process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, used for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction. Meiosis, on the other hand, is a specialized type of cell division that produces four unique daughter cells (gametes, like sperm and eggs) with half the number of chromosomes, specifically for sexual reproduction.
Key Distinctions in the Process
Mitosis consists of one round of division, creating diploid cells (with a full set of chromosomes). Meiosis involves two consecutive rounds of division (Meiosis I and Meiosis II), resulting in haploid cells (with half the set of chromosomes). A critical event called 'crossing over' occurs in meiosis, where genetic material is exchanged to create genetic variation. This does not happen in mitosis, which is why its resulting cells are clones.