Why is it important for mitosis to produce identical daughter cells?

Question

I already know the process of mitosis. I also already know that mitosis is important to help repair new cells that have died.....but why does the cells in mitosis have to be identical daughter cells? what is the importance of daughter cells? if the cells aren't identical, what happens and what is this called?

Answer 1

Part of Ecolink's answer is correct. However, he claims that "If the new cells are not identical, a mutation may have happened". This is true, partially, but those mutations are generated during S-phase (DNA replication) and not during mitosis. In case of problems during the latter, much bigger problems occur if the chromosomes are not segregated properly. The result is what we call aneuploid cells, i.e. cells with not the right number of chromosomes. So some cells will have an extra chromosome, some other will have chromosomes missing. On a chromosome there are many genes, so this error will affect several body funtion. Just think that the presence one extra chromosome (*ex. chr 18), causes the Down syndrome.
To prevent this from happening, chromosomes have to be all attached to the spindle before the cell divides at the end of mitosis (anaphase B and telophase). This mechanism is called mitotic spindle checkpoint.
A part from that, Ecolick explained well why mitosis is needed. To generate new cells and allow growth and differentiation, etc..
By the way, it is not true that "mitosis is important to help repair new cells that have died"It is more like the opposite : if cells did not replicate the DNA properly, they are bound to encounter problems during mitosis and die of mitotic catastrophe, but this is a good thing, as the bad cells are getting rid of!

S1LK, you are absolutely right!
My apologies!!

Answer 2

The daughter cells should have the same genetic information (DNA) as the parent cell. All cells in an organism should have a complete set of chromosomes for that organism. Then the genes that those particular cells are inside them.

Mitosis is important because the organism must:
1. replace cells that have worn out or died
2. repair tissue that is damaged
3. add cells in order to grow
4. make new kinds of cells in order to develop

If the new cells are not identical, a mutation may have happened. Some mutations do not make a difference. Some mutations are helpful and some are harmful. However, a very small percentage of mutations can be expected to be helpful because the mutations are random changes, and most species have been accumulating beneficial changes for a long, long time.

Answer 3

It is important because:
1. Repair
- exact copies of cells must be produced to replace cells that die or are damaged

2. Asexual reproduction
- produce offspring that are identical (assuming that no mutation)to their parents and to each other

3. Vegetative propagation
- parent cell are usually well suited to the environmental condition (offspring can also thrive in these conditions unless there are changes)

4. Cloning
- production of identical B or T cell during immune respond

Answer 4

Well its not important, its just that it has to becasue in mitosis, as you know, it splits into two daughter cells. Rem,ember that during DNA replication, one chromsome becomes two. so it is natural for it to be identical. Casue you arent going to have half of one gene in one and the other half is another,

Answer 5

Good answer lovely green eyes. A minor point, Down's syndrome is trisomy 21, and that technically occurs during oogenesis/spermatogenesis.