The Outcomes & Processes of Mitosis & Meiosis (AQA AS Biology): Revision Note

Exam code: 7401

Lára Marie McIvor

Written by: Lára Marie McIvor

Reviewed by: Cara Head

Updated on

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

Flowchart comparing mitosis and meiosis; both start with 2n cells. Mitosis divides into two 2n cells; meiosis into four n cells. Text explains centromeres.
Comparison on mitosis vs meiosis

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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Lára Marie McIvor

Author: Lára Marie McIvor

Expertise: Biology, Psychology & Sociology Subject Lead

Lára graduated from Oxford University in Biological Sciences and has now been a science tutor working in the UK for several years. Lára has a particular interest in the area of infectious disease and epidemiology, and enjoys creating original educational materials that develop confidence and facilitate learning.

Cara Head

Reviewer: Cara Head

Expertise: Biology & Psychology Content Creator

Cara graduated from the University of Exeter in 2005 with a degree in Biological Sciences. She has fifteen years of experience teaching the Sciences at KS3 to KS5, and Psychology at A-Level. Cara has taught in a range of secondary schools across the South West of England before joining the team at SME. Cara is passionate about Biology and creating resources that bring the subject alive and deepen students' understanding