Final answer:
Human cells reproduce through cell division known as mitosis for growth and repair, producing two identical daughter cells. Reproductive cells are produced by meiosis, which halves the number of chromosomes to ensure genetic variation in offspring. Errors in cell division can have severe consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Human Cells and Cell Division
Human cells reproduce through a process of cell division, known as mitosis, where a single cell divides to form two identical daughter cells, each containing a complete set of chromosomes. This is essential for the growth, maintenance, and repair of multicellular organisms like humans. In contrast, the forma-tion of gametes, or reproductive cells, involves a special type of cell division called meiosis, where the number of chromosomes is halved. Gametes are haploid, meaning they carry a single set of chromosomes, which is vital for sexual reproduction. When two gametes unite during fertilization, they form a diploid zygote with a full set of chromosomes, ensuring the continuity of genetic information and the production of a new individual.
In multicellular organisms, including humans, cell division is a tightly regulated process, and errors in cell division can lead to life-threatening conditions. It's also interesting to note that single-celled organisms rely on cell division as their method of reproduction, which, in some cases, is achieved through binary fission. This type of cell division results in two genetically identical cells, serving as a form of cellular cloning.