Mitosis involves separation of only sister chromatids while meiosis involves?
a. Also separation of only sister chromatids.
b. Separation of only homologous chromosomes.
c. Separation of homologous chromosomes as well as sister chromatids.
d. Separation of sister chromatids twice.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is c. Separation of homologous chromosomes as well as sister chromatids.
Explanation:
Mitosis and meiosis are both processes of cell division, but they serve different functions and have distinct processes. Mitosis results in two genetically identical daughter cells, while meiosis leads to the production of four genetically diverse gametes, such as sperm and eggs in humans.
Mitosis involves the division of a diploid cell to produce two diploid daughter cells. During mitosis, the sister chromatids, which are identical copies of chromosomes formed after DNA replication, separate in anaphase. The key point here is that mitosis involves the separation of sister chromatids from each chromosome, not homologous chromosomes.
Meiosis, on the other hand, is a more complex process that consists of two rounds of division: meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes (the pairs of chromosomes from each parent) are separated, which is essential for reducing the chromosome number by half. This process occurs during anaphase I. In meiosis II, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated, similar to what happens in mitosis.
So, in meiosis, both homologous chromosomes and sister chromatids are separated, but at different stages. In meiosis I, the homologous chromosomes are pulled apart, and in meiosis II, the sister chromatids are separated. This double separation is key to the formation of genetically unique gametes.
The result of meiosis is that the daughter cells have half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell, which is crucial for sexual reproduction and genetic diversity.