Question

Create a table comparing and contrasting Mitosis and Meiosis. Come up with at least 5 unique comparisons and 5 unique differences.

Minimum 1000 words!

Answer 1

Ans Comparison between Mitosis and Meiosis-

Mitosis	Meiosis
It occurs in somatic cells of plants and animals. It results in the growth of the body.	It occurs in organisms which reproduce by sexual process. The division occurs during the formation of gametes, microspores, and megaspores.
It only results in one division which is purely equational.	It includes two divisions in which the lst division is reductional and 2nd division is equational.
It is a homotypic division i . e. , it gives rise to two daughter cells that are identical to each other as well as to parent cell.	Meiosis 1st includes heterotypic division and then homotypic division. So, it results in production of four daughter cells that differ from parent cell and also differ from each other due to crossing over.
Chromosome number in resultant daughter cell is same as in parent cell.	Chromosome number in daughter cells is reduced to half as compared to parent cell.
Prophase of mitosis is comparatively short.	Prophase of meiosis is of longer duration.
Prophase has no sub stages.	Prophase is divided into 5 sub stages- Leptotene, Zygotene, pachytene,diplotene and diakinesis.
Chromosomes are independent of each other. They don't form pairing of homologous chromosomes.	Homologous chromosomes form pairs.
Synapsis and tetrad stages don't occur. The chromosomes split in the early prophase.	Synapsis occurs due to which the chromosomes become bivalent . The chromosomes split after synapsis to form sister chromatids arranged in tetrads.
Crossing over does not occurs .	Crossing over ie, exchange of segments of homologous chromosomes takes place during pachytene.
Chiasmata is not formed.	Chiasmata are formed in diplotene of prophase I.
In metaphase the centromeres are oriented in one plane.	In metaphase I, the paired homologous chromosomes are arranged in equatorial plate. The two centromeres of each bivalent are oriented in two planes .

Each centromere divides in late metaphase or in early Anaphase.	The centromeres do not divide in metaphase I or Anaphase I.
Telophase Is followed by cytokinesis.	Telophase Is not followed by cytokinesis. It is followed by prophase II or meiosis II.

5 unique comparisons are -

1. Mitosis and meiosis both are forms of division in eukaryotic cells

2. DNA replication occurs in S phase. But in mitosis only one nuclear division occurs while in meiosis 2 nuclear divisions occur.

3. Pattern of stages is similar- prophase, metaphase, Anaphase and telophase .

4. In case of mitosis, dividing cell can be diploid or haploid but in meiosis parent cel is diploid.

5. cytokinesis occurs in both but in mitosis cytokinesis occurs telophase while in meiosis it occurs in telophase I (may or may not)and telophase II.

5 unique differences are -

Mitosis	Meiosis
It forms genetically identical cells.	It forms genetically unique cells.
Crossing over not occurs. So new variations are not produced	Crossing over occurs in prophase I which produces new variations
It is an equational division I.e., no of chromosomes in daughter cells is Similar to that of parent cell.	It is reductional division ie, number of chromosomes in daughter cells is reduced to half as compared to that of parent cell
2 daughter cells are produced which are diploid	4 daughter cells are produced which are haploid.
Occurs throughout the life of an organism.	Occurs during certain time in life cycle of an organism.

Role in growth and repair

role in sexual reproduction.