Normal cell division meiosis and gamete production via meiosis.

Explain why the process of mitosis and meiosis are both important to a living organism. When would an organism need to undergo the process of mitosis? Meiosis? What would happen if meiosis did not occur?

Mitosis is the cell process of growth and division whereas meiosis is the process of developing reproductive cells. The sperm and egg are critical components for almost all living organisms. Every living organism begins with one cell that came from our father’s sperm fertilizing our mother’s egg. This beginning cell then divided by mitosis into two cells (called daughter cells) which then grow and divided into four cells. Mitosis continues through when we were born and continues again until we “fully” grown. Mitosis occurs regularly to replace old dead skin cells. “Mitosis has five stages which include: prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, which constitute the period in which the cell makes preparations for cell division.” (Sparknotes, 2009)

Meiosis is a special form that is similar to mitosis. Meiosis occurs only in a special arrangement of our cells to create eggs and sperm. In meiosis, one cell is divided twice in a row to form four daughter cells from one cell. The divided cells are then tailored to become eggs or sperm. If meiosis did not occur there would be an elimination of reproduction and all living organism would die. Life would not exist as we know it today.

Mitosis and meiosis have similar processes but produce various cell types.

Mitosis is the cell process of growth and division whereas meiosis is the process of developing reproductive cells. The sperm and egg are critical components for almost all living organisms. Every living organism begins with one cell that came from our father’s sperm fertilizing our mother’s egg. This beginning cell then divided by mitosis into two cells (called daughter cells) which then grow and divided into four cells....