1. How are mitosis and meiosis similar?

Question

2. How are mitosis and meiosis different?
3. Explain how meiosis creates genetic diversity in gametes and offspring?

Answer 1

1)They both are forms of cell division. They both begin with diploid (2n) cells. They both undergo atleast Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase and Telophase.
2) Mitosis is the cell division of regular, nonsexual cells. Meiosis is the division of sex cells. Mitosis produces two diploid (2n) daughter cells from one diploid (2n) cell. Meiosis produces 4 haploid (1n) cells from one diploid cell. Meiosis also goes through two stages of Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase and Telophase.
3) Meiosis contains genetic recombination and crossover which mixes up genetic information.

Answer 2

Prophase I in meiosis is completely different than the prophase I in mitosis. There are 5 steps in Prophase I of meiosis. Meiosis is a reduction division where the number of chromosomes are reduced to half in the cells that are formed. It takes place during the gamete formation. There are two steps of a meiotic division where in the first step the original cell (2n) divides into two cells (n number of chromosomes in each cell). These two cells then further divide into 2 cells with the same number of chromosomes(n). Meiosis 2 steps: Meiosis I : 4 steps 1. Prophase consists of 5 steps a. Leptotene b. Zygotene c. Pachytene d. Diplotene e. Diakinesis 2. Metaphase I 3 Anaphase I 4. Telophase I Meiosis II 4 steps 1. Prophase II 2. Metaphase II 3. Anaphase II 4. Telophase II