Final answer:
The number of chromosomes in daughter cells produced by meiosis is half the number in those produced by mitosis. Meiosis results in four haploid cells with genetic variation, while mitosis produces two diploid genetically identical cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of chromosomes in daughter cells produced by meiosis is half the number of chromosomes in daughter cells produced by mitosis. In human cells, for example, a parent cell that undergoes mitosis will produce two daughter cells, each with 46 chromosomes. However, after meiosis, which includes two rounds of cell division, four daughter cells are produced, each with 23 chromosomes. This is because meiosis is a reduction division, cutting the number of chromosomes in half to produce cells that can become gametes
Different from mitosis, meiosis introduces genetic variation through processes such as crossing over. Mitosis, in contrast, results in genetically identical diploid cells, maintaining the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell. Meiosis I is responsible for the reduction of chromosomes, while meiosis II separates sister chromatids without further reducing chromosome number.