Answer: 2. the production of new body cells to replace old cells
Mitosis is a form of cell division that results in two daughter cells that are identical (genetically) to each other and to its original cell. It plays a vital role in the life cycle of most living things.
In single-celled (unicellular) organisms such as bacteria, mitosis is a type of asexual reproduction, making identical copies of a single cell.
In multicellular organisms, mitosis produces new cells to replace old cells and promote growth and repair.