Question

Meiosis and mitosis differ from each other because in meiosis
A. The four nuclei formed are not similar to parental ones
B. Homologous chromosomes pair exchange parts
C. Number of chromosomes gets halved
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Cell cycle is a process where the cell ultimately divides and mitosis divides the cells into two and is a process occurring in somatic cells or asexual cells whereas, meiosis occurs in sex cells.

Complete answer: In meiosis, the mother cells are diploid in nature, always form four haploid daughter cells, and by homologous recombination of the sister, chromatids from a chromosome that is genetically different from its mother and father cells but inherited from the crossover. The chromosome number is reduced by half at the end of the meiosis so the gamete cell can fuse with the other gamete cell of the opposite sex and form a zygote giving a 23 pair of the chromosome. The chromosome pairing occurs from prophase I to metaphase I in meiosis I. The crossing over occurs and the DNA segments are exchanged in the sister chromatids during prophase I, the chiasmata are observed in metaphase II as well, and the spindle fiber does not completely disappear in telophase I but the cytokinesis occurs in telophase I and telophase II both. The karyokinesis occurs in interphase I and the nucleoli do not reappear in telophase I. In the cell cycle, the mitosis occurs in somatic cells and divides the cells in two in a single cell cycle division. The chromosome number after the cell division remains the same and also it is genetically similar. The mother cell can be haploid or a diploid but the daughter cell produced is always two diploid daughter cells. The crossing over, homologous recombination, or chiasmata is not formed in mitosis and mainly functions for the growth of the cell.
Hence, the correct answer is an option (D).

Note: Meiosis cycle was discovered by Oscar Hertwig and there are two cell divisions to form four haploid daughter cells and the phases are: Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I; (Meiosis 2) Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II, and Telophase II.