What’s the difference between mitosis and meiosis?

Mitosis is a type of cell division in which a cell divides to form two cells that are genetically identical to the original cell and each other. During the cell cycle, the cell’s amount of genetic material is doubled and then during mitosis the cell divides once to form two identical daughter cells. These cells contain the normal amount of DNA (46 chromosomes) so we call them diploid. This type of cell division produces new cells in the body during growth and repair and is also the process by which offspring are produced in asexual reproduction. On the other hand, meiosis is the type of cell division that forms gametes (eggs or sperm) in reproductive organs (the ovaries or the testes). Like in mitosis, the cell’s amount of genetic material doubles during the cell cycle. However, in meiosis, this cell divides twice to form four daughter cells. This results in the gametes having half the normal amount of DNA (23 chromosomes) so we call them haploid. These cells are all genetically different from each other and the original cell.