Compare and contrast Mitosis and Meiosis

	Meiosis	Mitosis
Definition:	A type of cellular reproduction in which the number of chromosomes are reduced by half through the separation of homologous chromosomes, producing two haploid cells.	A process of asexual reproduction in which the cell divides in two producing a replica, with an equal number of chromosomes in each resulting diploid cell.
Function:	sexual reproduction	Cellular Reproduction & general growth and repair of the body
Type of Reproduction:	Sexual	Asexual
Occurs in:	Humans, animals, plants, fungi	all organisms
Genetically:	different	identical
Crossing Over:	Yes, mixing of chromosomes can occur.	No, crossing over cannot occur.
Pairing of Homologues:	Yes	No
Number of Divisions:	2	1
Number of Daughter Cells produced:	4 haploid cells	2 diploid cells
Chromosome Number:	Reduced by half	Remains the same
Steps:	The steps of meiosis are Interphase, Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I, Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II and Telophase II.	The steps of mitosis are Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase and Cytokinesis
Karyokenesis:	Occurs in Interphase I	Occurs in Interphase
Cytokenesis:	Occurs in Telophase I & Telohpase II	Occurs in Telophase
Centromeres Split:	The centromeres do not separate during anaphase I, but during anaphase II	The centromeres split during Anaphase
Creates:	Sex cells only: Female egg cells or Male sperm cells	Makes everything other than sex cells
Discovered by:	Oscar Hertwig	Walther Flemming