The Six Stages Of Mitosis And Meiosis

The cell cycle is a very crucial aspect of cell development and growth; it involves various stages such as G1, S and G2 which makes up the interphase part of the cell cycle (Alberts, et al., 2015). At these three different points cell growth, DNA replication and check points for G1, S, G2 and M Checkpoints Occurs. This is then followed by the M phase and cytokinesis which is probably the most action packed stage of the cell cycle (Alberts, et al., 2010), as the cell goes through a series of six stages, in order to produce two identical daughter cells in mitosis or four non-identical daughter cells in meiosis. Both mitosis and meiosis are equally important as they have their own specific functions, both processes mitosis and meiosis possesses similarities and differences which will be further discussed.

In mitosis as mentioned above the end result involves producing two identical daughter cells, in order to achieve this, these six stages must occur. Firstly, each chromosome is replicated which will then contain two sister chromatids ready for prophase (Alberts, et al., 2010); the first phase of mitosis. During prophase the chromosomes condense and the mitotic spindles forms outside the nucleus between the two centrosomes that are moving apart, following prophase is prometaphase which involves the breaking down of the

Another noticeable difference is that in meiosis four (1n) daughter cells are produced whilst only two (2n) daughter cells are produced in mitosis, therefore making these two processes differ. When looking at anaphase specifically, the sister chromatids usually separate in both mitosis and meiosis two, however, in meiosis one it is the homologous pairs that separate. In terms of similarities, mitosis and meiosis two have identical processes (Pierce,