A cell is the basic unit of life that makes up all living organisms. It is the smallest functional and structural unit of life that carries out all the metabolic processes necessary for the survival of an organism. Cells vary in shape, size, and function depending on the type of organism they belong to.
Cell division is the process by which a single cell divides into two or more daughter cells. It is a fundamental process that occurs in all living organisms, from bacteria to complex multicellular organisms like plants and animals. There are two types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis.
Mitosis is the process of cell division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells from a single parent cell. It is the primary method of cell division in somatic cells (body cells) for growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues in the body.Example:Human:A human skin cell dividing to produce two new identical skin cells & Plant:When a plant's root grows, mitosis occurs in the root cells, leading to the formation of new root cells that are identical to the parent cell.
Meiosis, on the other hand, is the process of cell division that produces four genetically diverse daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. It occurs only in specialized cells called germ cells and is essential for sexual reproduction.Example:Human:The meiosis takes place during the formation of sperm and egg cells, leading to the production of haploid gametes (sperm and egg) with half the usual number of chromosomes & Plant:The Meiosis occurs during the formation of spores and gametes (pollen and ovules). This process is crucial for sexual reproduction, as it ensures genetic diversity in the offspring.
Cell division is important for several reasons. Firstly, it is the process by which organisms grow and develop. During cell division, cells increase in number and differentiate into different types of cells that perform specific functions in the body.
Secondly, cell division is essential for tissue repair and maintenance. When tissues are damaged, cell division is triggered to replace the damaged cells with new ones. For example, when we cut ourselves, the body initiates cell division to repair the damaged tissues.
Thirdly, cell division is important for the propagation of species. In sexually reproducing organisms, meiosis ensures that offspring inherit a unique combination of genetic material from both parents, leading to genetic diversity.
In conclusion, cell division is a fundamental process that is essential for the growth, development, repair, and maintenance of tissues in the body, as well as for the propagation of species.
Shortcut to remember for Mitosis and Meiosis:
For daughter cells:
Mitosis-produces two daughter cells.(as to is common in both words,remember number of daughter cells produced by mitosis by to)
Meiosis-produces four daughter cells.(as fourth letter in meiosis is o and joining it with first letter of four i.e number of daughter cells produced by meiosis f becomes of ,remember number of daughter cells like this.)
For occuring cells:
Mitosis-occurs in somatic cells (In both the word Mitosis and Somatic letter t is present,remember the cell name by this method)
Meiosis-occurs in germ cells(The letter e in both word Meiosis and Germ Cell comes in 2nd place,remember the cell name by this method.)
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