Mitosis vs Meiosis: PMAT, Key Differences and Examples
Mitosis or meiosis? Learn PMAT, count the divisions and daughter cells, and sort two examples, plus the mistake that costs points.
MITOSIS = PMAT
- Prophase · chromosomes condense
- Metaphase · line up in the middle
- Anaphase · chromatids pull apart
- Telophase · two nuclei form
One division. Ends with 2 identical cells.
MEIOSIS = TWO ROUNDS
- Meiosis I · homologous pairs split
- Meiosis II · chromatids split
- Crossing over · mixes the genes
Two divisions. Ends with 4 different cells, each with half the chromosomes.
Example 1
A skin cell divides to heal a cut.
- Body cells copying themselves means growth and repair.
- Growth and repair use mitosis.
MITOSIS: 2 identical cells
Example 2
A cell is making sperm or egg cells.
- Sex cells need half the chromosomes.
- Half the chromosomes means meiosis.
MEIOSIS: 4 different cells
Common mistake
Meiosis makes identical cells
Crossing over and random pairing make every meiosis cell genetically different.
Mitosis divides once. Meiosis divides twice.
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