The Outcomes & Processes of Mitosis & Meiosis (AQA AS Biology): Revision Note
Exam code: 7401
Mitosis vs meiosis
Mitosis and meiosis are both forms of cell division
Mitosis ends with two daughter cells genetically identical to each other and the parent cell
This is important so that growth and cell replacement can occur within the body continually
Every cell in an organism's body (other than gametes) contains the same genetic material - the full genome
Meiosis ends with four daughter cells all of which contain half the genetic material of the parent cell and are all different from each other and the parent
This is important for genetic variation within families and the population
Genetic variation can reduce the risk of inheriting genetic diseases
Mitosis | Meiosis |
|---|---|
Used for growth and repair | Used for production of gametes |
Cell divides once | Cell divides twice |
Daughter cells are genetically identical to parent cell | Daughter cells are genetically different to parent cell |
Daughter cells are genetically identical to each other | Daughter cells are genetically different to each other |
Daughter cells are diploid (46 chromosomes) | Daughter cells are haploid (23 chromosomes) gametes |
Two daughter cells produced | Four daughter cells produced |
Occurs all over the body | Occurs in the sex organs |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is common for a question to ask you to identify where meiosis is occurring in an unfamiliar life cycle. There is a helpful trick for this, meiosis always involves a reduction division. This is a nuclear division that reduces the chromosome number of a cell. So, when the ploidy of the cell is halved, it can be said that meiosis has just occurred.
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