Compare & Contrast Mitosis & Meiosis
MITOSIS
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MEIOSIS
Function
Helps an organism grow by
making new cells
Makes gametes (sperm or eggs)
Makes new autosomes (body
cells)
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5
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Type of cells that
undergo this
process
gametes
Autosomes (body cells)
Example: liver, muscle, etc.
Location in Body
Number of
Daughter Cells
Produced
Change in
Chromosome
Number
Number of
Divisions in the
Nucleus
Difference in DNA
Between Parent
Cell & Daughter
Cells
Every cell in the body but --
Testes and ovaries
(reproductive organs)
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4
No change. Exactly the same
number of chromosomes in
daughter cells as parent cells.
Number of chromosomes is
reduced by 50%
two
one
DNA is different in the daughter
cells because of crossing over
DNA is identical
Daughter cells are different from
each other.
Daughter cells are different from
parent cells
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Mitosis & Meiosis: Thinking Scientifically
It takes 15 minutes for certain embryo cells to divide. How many cells
would be produced from one cell after four hours? Hint: Start with one
cell at time zero, so after 15 minutes you would have 2 cells, etc.
Answer:
Show your work: 4 hours = 16 divisions. 15 divisions after 1 cell  2 cells
215 =
Look at the body cell in figure 1 below to answer the questions.
1) How many chromosomes are in the body cell of the organism? 6
2) How many chromosomes would be in each gamete? 3
3) How many chromosomes would be in the fertilized egg of this gamete? 6
4) How many chromosomes would come from each parent? 3
Figure 1: Example Cell
5) Will every gamete contain identical chromosomes? Explain.
No. Some crossing over will occur that will blend parts of chromosomes.
Fill in the blanks based on your knowledge of mitosis and meiosis.
1. A human has 46 chromosomes in each body cell. How many chromosomes would be
found in its daughter cells after mitosis? 46
2. A yeast cell has 32 chromosomes. How many chromosomes would be found in its
daughter cells after meiosis? 16
3. A fruit fly’s gametes have 2 chromosomes, because its body cells have 4 chromosomes.
4. A kangaroo’s somatic cells have 12 chromosomes, so that means its sex cells have 6
chromosomes.
5. If cabbage plant has 9 chromosomes in its reproductive cells, then it means that it has 18
chromosomes in its somatic cells.
6. A fern has 600 chromosomes in its gamete cells. How many chromosomes would be
found in its regular body cells? 1,200
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