Why daughter cells are identical to the parent cell

When the homologous chromosomes separate and move to opposite poles during meiosis I, the diploid level is reduced from two to one, which is referred to as a reduction division. What is the difference between daughter cells produced by meiosis and daughter cells produced by mitosis? Biology The Eukaryotic Cell Meiosis. Jan 14, Explanation: The main differences between mitosis and meiosis occur in meiosis stage I.

Related questions How does meiosis 1 differ from meiosis 2? During mitosis, DNA coils into condensed chromatid pairs known as chromosomes. Throughout various phases of mitosis, these chromatid pairs are separated to opposite sides of the cell and this parent cell divides into two separate, but identical, daughter cells.

Each daughter cell contains one half of the chromatid pair, or DNA. The process is split into meiosis I and meiosis II, and both meiotic divisions have multiple phases. Meiosis I is a type of cell division unique to germ cells, while meiosis II is similar to mitosis. Meiosis I, the first meiotic division, begins with prophase I.

During prophase I, the complex of DNA and protein known as chromatin condenses to form chromosomes. The pairs of replicated chromosomes are known as sister chromatids, and they remain joined at a central point called the centromere. A large structure called the meiotic spindle also forms from long proteins called microtubules on each side, or pole, of the cell. Between prophase I and metaphase I, the pairs of homologous chromosome form tetrads.

Within the tetrad, any pair of chromatid arms can overlap and fuse in a process called crossing-over or recombination. Recombination is a process that breaks, recombines and rejoins sections of DNA to produce new combinations of genes.

In metaphase I, the homologous pairs of chromosomes align on either side of the equatorial plate. Cancers result from inappropriate cell division. Most cell division is appropriate, however, and required for growth and reproduction of all organisms. The part of cell theory that states "all cells come from pre-existing cells" refers to cell division. There are two basic types of cell division, called "mitosis" and "meiosis". Mitosis is the most common. It produces "daughter cells" that are genetically identical to the parent cell, except for mutations that may have occurred during division.

Mitosis is the basis of growth and asexual reproduction. Meiosis differs from mitosis in that it produces gametes eggs and sperm cells for sexual reproduction. These cells are genetically different from the parent cell, for reasons we will discuss later.

Before discussing meiosis further, it is essential to understand the concept of cell ploidy. In your cell nuclei, you have a total of 46 chromosomes but there are actually only 23 different kinds of human chromosomes. The 23 kinds of human chromosomes in your nuclei exist in pairs. During fusion of egg and sperm cells that became you, you received one set of the 23 human chromosomes from the egg and another set of the 23 human chromosomes from the sperm.