Differentiate Between Mitosis and Meiosis

Mitosis and meiosis share some similarities, but the processes have distinct differences as well. Gametes are produced through meiosis, and are crucial to sexual reproduction; these are the egg and sperm cells, as well as spores and pollen. Mitosis is part of the reproduction of every other kind of cell in the body. Mitosis is how we get new skin cells, bone cells, blood cells, and other cells. These are called “somatic cells.” You can tell the difference between mitosis and meiosis by considering the phases that each process includes.

Steps

Identifying Mitosis

1. Consider what happens in mitosis. Without mitotic replication, your body would not be able to heal itself, or even grow. When mitosis happens, your DNA replicates itself. During mitosis, your cells divide and they also exhibit clear phases:
   • First, the DNA condenses into chromosomes and the chromosomes align.
   • Then, the daughter chromosomes are pulled apart and they move to the cell poles (the edges of the cell).
   • Last, the cell splits in two separate cells.
2. Count the number of divisions. In mitosis, the cells will only divide once. These post-division cells are called daughter cells. Most human cells divide by splitting into two new cells.
   • Check the number of daughter cells. In mitosis, there should only be two.
   • The parent cell will be gone after mitosis has occurred.
3. Make sure there is a complete set of chromosomes. If the cell does not have a complete set of chromosomes, then it has not completed mitosis, or it has been damaged. Each healthy human somatic cell should have a complete set of chromosomes.

Identifying Meiosis

1. Consider how gametes are produced in meiosis. Meiotic replication is responsible for an organism’s ability to reproduce. When an organism reproduces, it makes gametes. These cells do not have complete sets of DNA. They have half the number of chromosomes as cells produced in mitotic replication.
   • For example, the meiotic sperm and egg cells each bring half a full set of chromosomes.
   • Pollen is a gamete. Like human gametes, it carries half the number of chromosomes as other plant cells.
2. Watch for synapsis. Synapsis describes the process that two chromosomal pairs use to share and exchange DNA. This process is a part of meiosis, but not a part of mitosis, so it should help you to distinguish the two processes.
   • Synapsis is when two ends of chromosomes meet and share genetic information with each other. After the cells separate, the genetic information will be mingled in two of the four cells.
3. Count the number of divisions in meiosis. In meiosis, the cell divides more than it does in mitosis. This is crucial to the production of gametes. Because gametes need to have half the number of chromosomes as normal cells, cells divide twice in meiotic reproduction. This means that each phase one might find in mitosis is found twice in meiosis:
   • First, the DNA replicates, just like it does in mitosis.
   • Then, cell divides into two cells, which also looks the same as it does with mitosis.
   • Last, the two cells divide again. This third cell division is not present in mitosis, so it should help you to tell the difference between mitosis and meiosis.
4. Check the number of daughter cells. With meiotic cell division, there will be four, final daughter cells. This number is required to create cells that have half the number of chromosomes that the parent cells did. Without these chromosomes, the gametes would not be able to perform sexual reproduction.

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