Similarities and Differences between mitosis and meiosis

Difference between mitosis and meiosis 

Mitosis

Mitosis is the process by which a single cell divides to form two identical daughter cells. The process is divided into several stages, including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. During prophase, the chromosomes in the cell’s nucleus condense and become visible. In metaphase, the chromosomes align in the center of the cell. Anaphase is when the chromosomes are pulled apart and move to opposite ends of the cell, and in telophase, the chromosomes decondensed and the cell divides. The similarities between mitosis and meiosis include the process of cell division, the formation of daughter cells, and the presence of chromosomes. The main difference between mitosis and meiosis is that mitosis results in two identical daughter cells, while meiosis results in four genetically diverse daughter cells.

Meiosis 

Meiosis is a type of cell division that results in the formation of four genetically diverse daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The process of meiosis is divided into two rounds of cell division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II. During meiosis I, homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange genetic material, a process known as crossing over. This results in the formation of genetically diverse chromosomes. Meiosis II is similar to mitosis in that the chromosomes are pulled apart and the cell divides into four daughter cells. Similarities between mitosis and meiosis include the process of cell division and the presence of chromosomes. The main difference between mitosis and meiosis is that meiosis results in the formation of four genetically diverse daughter cells, while mitosis results in two identical daughter cells.

Mitosis vs meiosis

	Mitosis	meiosis
Discovery	In 1882, Walther Flemming describe it	In 1876, Oskar Hertwig describe it
Purpose	To make exact copies of cells	To generate genetically diversified cells
Types of reproduction	Asexual reproduction	Sexual reproduction
Cell division	One cell divides into 2 identical daughter cells	One cell divides into 4 genetically diverse daughter cells
Chromosomes	The diploid number of chromosomes produced	The haploid number of chromosomes produced
Round of cell division	It has one round of cell division	It has 2 rounds of cell division
Type of chromosomes	Duplication of chromosomes occur	Separation of homologous chromosomes into sister chromatids
Spindle apparatus	It involves the formation of single spindle apparatus	It involves the formation of 2 spindle formation
Crossing over	It has no crossing over	It has a crossing over of chromosomes
Genetic variation	Genetic variation does not occur	Genetic variations occur
Synaptonemal complex	It does not form synaptonemal complex	It involves the formation of the synaptonemal complex
Polar body	It does not involve the formation of a polar body	It involves the formation of a polar body
Chiasmeta	It does not involve the formation of chiasmata	It involves the formation of chiasmata
Tetrad	It does not involve the formation of tetrad	It involves the formation of tetrad
diplotene	It does not involve the formation of diplotene	It involves the formation of diplotene
Diakinesis	It does not involve the formation of diakinesis	It involves the formation of diakinesis

Difference between Stages of mitosis and meiosis

	Mitosis	Meiosis
Number of stages	Mitosis has only one prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.	Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase all happen twice during meiosis. The first time the cells divide is unique, but the second time is more like mitosis.
Prophase	Mitotic prophase is much shorter than meiotic prophase I.	Prophase I of meiosis is much longer than prophase I of mitosis. During prophase I, chiasmata are formed between homologous chromosomes, and “crossing over” happens. This is where pieces of DNA are swapped between chromosomes. This is important for making genetic diversity and for keeping homologous chromosomes from falling apart.
Metaphase	During mitotic metaphase, a single chromosome or a pair of chromatids line up along the metaphase plate. Since sister chromatids are the same, the direction of the chromosome doesn’t matter.	During meiotic metaphase I, pairs of chromosomes that are the same copy line up on the metaphase plate. The way that homologous pairs are arranged randomly with respect to the cell poles is called the law of independent assortment. It makes sure that chromosomes are distributed randomly and independently to the daughter cells of meiosis I and, at the end of meiosis II, to the haploid gametes.
Anaphase	During the anaphase of mitosis (and meiosis II), the cohesin protein that holds the centromeres of the sister chromatids together is broken. This lets the sister chromatids move to opposite ends of the cell, where they are called chromosomes.	During anaphase of meiosis I, cohesin at the centromeres of the chromosomes is not broken, so it keeps sister chromatids together as homologous chromosomes move to opposite ends of the cell.
cytokinesis	Not every cell goes through cytokinesis during mitosis. Some cells, like muscle cells, divide and have more than one nucleus.	During meiosis, cytokinesis must happen twice: once after telophase I and again after telophase II.

Similarities between Mitosis and meiosis

1. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the replication of DNA prior to cell division.
2. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the separation of chromosomes into daughter cells.
3. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the use of microtubules to pull the chromosomes apart.
4. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a spindle apparatus composed of microtubules.
5. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the attachment of chromosomes to the spindle apparatus through kinetochores.
6. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the alignment of chromosomes at the equator of the cell before separation.
7. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a cleavage furrow or cell plate to separate the daughter cells.
8. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the use of enzymes to breakdown the nuclear envelope.
9. Both mitosis and meiosis are regulated by a series of protein kinases and phosphatases.
10. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a centromere, which is necessary for the proper segregation of chromosomes.
11. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a telomere, which protects the ends of chromosomes from degradation.
12. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a kinetochore, which is necessary for the proper attachment of chromosomes to the spindle apparatus.
13. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a nuclear lamina, which helps to maintain the structure of the nucleus.
14. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of chromatin, which is the combination of DNA and proteins that makes up chromosomes.
15. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a chromatid, which is one half of a replicated chromosome.
16. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a chromatid arm, which is the long part of a chromatid.
17. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a chromatid centromere, which is the point where the chromatid arms are joined.
18. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a chromonema, which is the fine thread-like structure of chromatin during cell division.
19. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a chromomere, which is the visible segment of a chromonema during cell division.
20. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a chromoplasm, which is the cytoplasmic material surrounding the chromatin.
21. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of cohesin, which is a protein complex that holds sister chromatids together.
22. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of condensation of chromatin, which is the process of chromosomes becoming visible during cell division.
23. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of prophase, which is the first stage of cell division where the chromosomes become visible and condense.
24. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of metaphase, which is the stage of cell division where the chromosomes align at the equator of the cell.
25. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of anaphase, which is the stage of cell division where the chromosomes are pulled apart and begin to move towards opposite poles of the cell.
26. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a cytokinesis, which is the physical separation of the daughter cells.
27. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a cytoskeleton, which provides mechanical support to the cell and helps with cell division.
28. Both mitosis and meiosis involve the formation of a centriole, which is a cylindrical organelle composed of microtubules that play a role in the formation of the spindle apparatus.
29. Both mitosis and meiosis are under the control of specific regulatory proteins and checkpoints that ensure the proper progression of the cell division process.