Final answer:
It is important for cells to undergo mitosis because it produces cells necessary for growth and tissue repair, ensuring genetic consistency within somatic tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The importance of mitosis for cells is that it enables organisms to grow and repair body tissue. The correct answer to the question is D) mitosis produces cells for growth and repair of body tissue. Unlike meiosis, which leads to the production of gametes (sex cells) that are not identical to the parent cell and introduces genetic variation, mitosis ensures that each new cell is genetically identical to the parent cell. This is crucial for the maintenance of somatic tissues where cells need to function cohesively in tissues and organs. Also, in some organisms, mitosis can facilitate asexual reproduction.
Mitosis is important for cells because it produces cells for growth and repair of body tissue. Cells produced by mitosis function in different parts of the body to replace dead or damaged cells, and they are also involved in asexual reproduction in some organisms. Mitosis results in the production of genetically identical cells, ensuring the preservation of the organism's genetic material.