Comparison Between Meiosis and Mitosis
Meiosis and mitosis are both types of cell division, but they have different purposes.
| Feature | Meiosis | Mitosis |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Produces gametes for sexual reproduction | Produces body (somatic) cells for growth and repair |
| Number of Divisions | Two (Meiosis-I & Meiosis-II) | One |
| Number of Daughter Cells | Four (haploid, n) | Two (diploid, 2n) |
| Genetic Variation | High (crossing over & independent assortment) | None (identical copies) |
| Chromosome Number | Reduces by half (2n → n) | Remains same (2n → 2n) |
| Crossing Over | Occurs in Prophase-I | Does not occur |
| Example | Formation of sperm and egg cells | Growth, healing, and repair |