Cell Division Comparison

Compare mitosis and meiosis side by side

Cells divide to grow, repair damage, and reproduce. Mitosis is the process where one cell copies its DNA and splits into two identical daughter cells, each with the full set of chromosomes (diploid, 2n). Your body uses mitosis constantly — skin cells, blood cells, and bone cells all rely on it. Meiosis is different: it happens only in reproductive organs (ovaries and testes) to make sex cells (gametes). Meiosis involves two rounds of division, producing four cells with half the chromosomes (haploid, n). Two special events make meiosis unique: crossing over (homologous chromosomes swap segments in Prophase I, creating new gene combinations) and independent assortment (chromosomes line up randomly in Metaphase I, so each gamete gets a different mix). This genetic variation is why siblings look different from each other, even with the same parents.