Importance of Mitosis and Meiosis | Cell Cycle

Importance of mitosis and meiosis

Mitosis and meiosis are two important processes of cell division. They are important for the existence and survival of living organisms. The importance of mitosis and meiosis to an organism is apparent to living organisms considering that chromosomes contain genes and proper distribution of genes is vital for viable daughter cells.

Importance of Mitosis and Meiosis

Importance of mitosis

The mitosis process is significant for multicellular organisms. Some of the importance of mitosis are:

1. Hereditary material is equally distributed in the daughter cell

A cell divides during mitosis to produce two identical daughter cells. The procedure requires copying the chromosomes first, meticulously separating the copies to give each new cell a full set, and then dividing the daughter cells to give each one a copy of each chromosome. The equal distribution of hereditary material is important to maintain chromosome numbers in normal cells.

2. No crossing over

During the process of mitosis, no crossing over takes place. Crossing over is a process in which genetic material is exchanged between two homologous chromosomes to make new genetic combinations. As no crossing over happens during mitosis so genetic information remains unchanged generation after generation.

3. Some organisms undergo asexual reproduction

Some living organisms reproduce asexually by the process called mitosis. Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical springs. The majority of single-celled microbes such as bacteria and yeast divide into two by asexual reproduction after copying their genetic material.

4. Regeneration, healing of the wound, and replacement of older cells

Mitosis is responsible for regeneration, healing of the wound, and replacement of older cells. Regeneration is a natural process that occurs in both plants and animals such as starfish and lizards to replace or bring back missing or damaged cells, tissues, organs, and even complete body parts. While during wound healing mitosis adds new cells to the damaged tissue site. 

If mitosis doesn’t occur, then healing of the wound would be impossible. Replacement of older cells with new cells is necessary for the proper functioning of the body because cell performance decreases as it ages.

5. Development and growth of multicellular organisms

The growth and development of a multicellular organism are courtesy of mitosis. Mitosis adds new cells to the growing body and different cells are specialized to perform different functions.

6. Tissue culture and cloning

Mitosis is involved in tissue culturing and cloning processes. A single cutting of a plant is transformed into a whole new plant due to the addition of new cells produced by mitosis. Similarly, during the process of cloning a single cell is divided into multiple identical cells by the mitosis process.

7. Malfunction leads to unwanted tumor or cancer

The proper execution of each step of mitosis is important for normal cell division. Any malfunctioning in mitosis leads to unwanted tumors or cancer in which cells divide uncontrollably and form clusters of cells.

So overall significance of mitosis is due to:

1. Hereditary material is equally distributed in the daughter cell.
2. No crossing over and genetic information remains unchanged generation after generation.
3. Some organisms undergo asexual reproduction by mitosis
4. Involved in regeneration, healing of the wound, and replacement of older cells.
5. The development and growth of multicellular organisms require mitosis.
6. Involved in tissue culture and cloning.
7. Malfunction in mitosis leads to unwanted tumors or cancer.

Video lesson on importance of mitosis

Importance of meiosis

Meiosis is involved in sexual reproduction due to its unique features. The importance of meiosis includes:

1. Crossing over and a random assortment of chromosomes

During the process of meiosis I, crossing over and a random assortment of chromosomes take place. Both these processes are responsible for the new genetic recombination in the next generation.

2. New genetic combinations

The new genetic combinations produced during meiosis help in the survival and adaptation of the new generation to changing environmental conditions.

3. Reduction division

Meiosis is a reduction division in which the number of chromosomes is reduced to half in each gamete. The reduction of chromosome number is vital to maintaining the chromosome number in the next generation through fertilization.

4. Involved in gametes formation

Gametes are formed by the process of meiosis. During sexual reproduction, both male and female gametes (n) are fused to form a zygote (2n) in which the number of chromosomes is restored to the original number of that particular species.

5. Malfunction in meiosis

Any malfunctioning or mutation during meiosis may lead to genetic disorders. The nondisjunction or failure to the separation of pairs of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids during meiosis may increase or decrease the number of chromosomes in the resulting gametes which may cause genetic disorder if fused during fertilization. Some genetic disorders include Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, and Turner syndrome.

Overall, the meiosis process is important due to:

1. Crossing over and a random assortment of chromosomes
2. New genetic combinations in the next generation
3. Reduction division to maintain chromosome numbers of species
4. Involved in gametes formation
5. Malfunction may lead to genetic disorders.

Video lesson on importance of meiosis

Some questions and Answers

1. What is the importance of mitosis?

A. Mitosis helps in the equal distribution of hereditary material in daughter cells, involved in regeneration, healing of the wound, and replacement of older cells, and the development and growth of multicellular organisms require mitosis.

2. What is the importance of meiosis?

A. Meiosis is involved in the formation of new genetic combinations in the next generation, reduces the chromosome numbers to half to maintain chromosome numbers of species, and is involved in gametes formation.

3. What happens when mitosis malfunctions?

A. Any malfunctioning in mitosis leads to unwanted tumors or cancer in which cells divide uncontrollably and form clusters of cells.

4. What errors can occur during meiosis?

A. The nondisjunction or failure to the separation of pairs of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids during meiosis may increase or decrease the number of chromosomes in the resulting gametes which may cause genetic disorder if fused during fertilization.

5. How meiosis generated diversity?

A. During the process of meiosis I, crossing over and a random assortment of chromosomes take place. Both these processes are responsible for the new genetic recombination in the next generation.