Mitosis is a type of cellular reproduction where a cell will produce an identical replica of itself with the same number and patterns of genes and chromosomes.
Meiosis, on the other hand, is a special process in cellular division where cells are created containing gene patterns of different types and combinations with 50% of the number of chromosomes of the original cell.
Meiosis is used in sexual reproduction of organisms to combine male and female, through the spermazoa and egg, to create a new, singular biological organism. Mitosis is used by single celled organisms to reproduce, or in the organic growth of tissues, fibers, and membranes.
Comparison chart
| Sex cells only: Female egg cells or Male sperm cells | Makes everything other than sex cells |
| A type of cellular reproduction in which the number of chromosomes are reduced by half through the separation of homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell. | A process of asexual reproduction in which the cell divides in two producing a replica, with an equal number of chromosomes in haploid cell |
| four haploid daughter cells | two diploid daughter cells |
| The steps of meiosis are Interphase, Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I, Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II and Telophase II. | The steps of mitosis are Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and Cytokinesis |
| Oscar Hertwig | Walther Flemming |
| Sexual | Asexual |
| different | identical |
| Occurs in Telophase I & Telohpase II | Occurs in Telophase |
| 2 | 1 |
| Yes | No |
| sexual reproduction | Cellular Reproduction & general growth and repair of the body |
| Reduced by half | Remains the same |
| Occurs in Interphase I | Occurs in Interphase |
| Mixing of chromosomes | Does not occur |
| The centromeres do not separate during anaphase I, but during anaphase II | The centromeres split during Anaphase |
| Yes | No |
| Humans, animals, plants, fungi | all organisms |
| 4 | 2 |
