Question

Are meiosis and mitosis similar?

Answer 1

No. Absolutely Not.

Explanation:

Mitosis is a type of cell division, where a diploid cell will divide and form two daughter cells, which will be diploid too.

This is a type of cell division, which takes place for every cell except gametes.

Meiosis is a type of cell division specially for gametes or sex cells. A diploid cell divide to form two haploid daughter cells, which further divide to form four haploid daughter cells.

Why Meiosis is necessary?

Consider, there is Mitosis taking place for gametes too.

But, The Male Gamete and Female Gamete will both be diploid then.

If they merge, the nuclues in the resulting zygote will be tetraploid (4n) which cannot survive.

So, Nature (God, Maybe) has made a special division for gametes, Meiosis.

Hope this helps.