Final answer:
Mitosis results in two genetically identical daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, after DNA is replicated during the S phase of the cell cycle. Meiosis, conversely, produces four genetically distinct haploid daughter cells, despite also beginning with DNA replication. The processes of chromosome duplication and separation are central to these forms of cell division.
Step-by-step explanation:
In both mitosis and meiosis, DNA replication is a critical step that precedes cell division. This process ensures that during mitosis, each of the two resulting daughter cells has a complete and identical set of chromosomes, identical to the parent cell. In stark contrast, meiosis results in four daughter cells that are haploid and genetically distinct from one another, due to two rounds of genetic shuffling and nuclear division. This is a fundamental process in sexual reproduction leading to genetic diversity.
The Role of Chromosomes in Mitosis
DNA is meticulously organized into chromosomes. As organisms, such as humans with 23 pairs of chromosomes, enter mitosis, their DNA coils tightly around proteins and replicates. This replication results in duplicated chromosomes, each consisting of two identical sister chromatids held together by a centromere. The centromere serves as the attachment point for spindle fibers, which are crucial in separating the sister chromatids during subsequent phases of mitosis.
Phases of The Cell Cycle
The cell cycle, including the S phase (Synthesis of DNA), allows cells to prepare for division. During the S phase, each chromosome is replicated to produce sister chromatids. This enables the cell to ensure that, after mitosis and cytokinesis, each new cell inherits a full set of chromosomes.