Question

What are the similarities and differences between mitosis and meiosis? When will cells be haploid and when will cells be diploid cells?

Answer 1

Similarities -

• Both processes are required for the cells to divide
• Both processes involve the creation of new cells
• Both processes involve prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase
• In both the processes the DNA replicates once.

Differences -

• Somatic cells divide through mitosis, while reproductive cells divide through meiosis.
• Four daughter cells are produced from a single cell through mitosis, while 2 daughter cells are produced from a single cell through meiosis.
• In mitosis, the daughter cells have same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, while in meiosis the daughter cells have half the number of chromosomes compared to the parent cell.
• Crossing over is not seen in mitosis, while meiosis involves crossing over of chromosomes.

When cells divide by meiosis, the cells will be haploid, whereas when the cells divide by mitosis, the cells will be diploid.