There are two types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis produces two identical daughter cells through the stages of prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Meiosis produces gametes through two rounds of division and the stages of prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I, telophase I, cytokinesis I, prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II, telophase II and cytokinesis II. This reduces the chromosome number from 46 to 23 to produce eggs and sperm.

2.  There are two types of cell division: mitosis
and meiosis.
 Most of the time “cell division,” mean Mitosis,
the process of making new body cells.
 Meiosis is the type of cell division that creates
egg and sperm cells.

3.  Features of Mitosis
 In each cycle of cell division, two daughter
cells are formed from the parent cell.
 The division is also known as equational cell
division because the chromosome number in
the parent cell and daughter cell is the same.
 Segregation and combination do not occur in
this process.
 It results in 2 numbers of daughter cells.

6.  The processes of mitosis have been divided
into different stages as follows:
 Prophase
 Prophase immediately follows the S and G2
phases of the cycle and is marked by
condensation of the genetic material to form
chromosomes composed of two chromatids
attached at the centromere.
 The nuclear envelope starts disintegrating.

7.  Prometaphase
 In the prometaphase, the nuclear envelop
disintegrates.
 Now from the centromere of the of
chromosomes by the help of kinetochore
allows the movement of chromosomes on
spindle fibers made up of microtubules.

8.  Metaphase
 At this stage, the microtubules start pulling
the chromosomes with equal force and the
chromosome line up on the equatorial plate.
 This region is known as the metaphase plate.
Thus, each cell gets an entire functioning
genome.

9.  Anaphase
 The splitting of the sister chromatids marks
the onset of anaphase.
 These sister chromatids become the
chromosome of the daughter nuclei.
 The chromosomes are then pulled towards
the pole by the fibres attached to the
kinetochores of each chromosome.
 The centromere of each chromosome face to
the poles while the arms face to the
metaphasic plate.

10.  Telophase
 The chromosomes are present at the two
poles and the nuclear envelope starts forming
around it.
 The nucleolus, Golgi bodies and ER complex,
which had disappeared after prophase start
to reappear.
 Telophase is followed by cytokinesis, which
denotes the division of the cytoplasm to form
two daughter cells.
 Thus, it marks the completion of cell division.

11.  The other type of cell division, meiosis,
ensures that humans have the same number
of chromosomes in each generation.
 It is a two-step process that reduces the
chromosome number by half—from 46 to
23—to form sperm and egg cells.
 When the sperm and egg cells unite at zygot
formation, each contributes 23 chromosomes
so the resulting embryo will have the usual
46.

12.  Meiosis also allows genetic variation through
a process of recombination and segraggation
while the cells are dividing.
 Meiosis results in 4 numbers of daughter
cells which are called as male and female
gametes.

14.  Meiosis I
 Prophase I
 The nuclear envelope disintegrates.
 Chromosomes begin to condense.
 Spindle fibres appear.
 Spindle fibres attach to the chromosomes at
the centromere.
 Exchange of genetic material occurs in this
stage.
 Metaphase I
 The homologous chromosomes align at the
equatorial plate ensuring genetic diversity

15.  Anaphase I
 The homologous chromosomes are pulled
towards the opposite poles.
 Telophase I
 Spindle fibres disappear.
 Nuclear envelope is reformed.
 Cytokinesis I
 The cytoplasm and the cell division result in 2
non-identical haploid daughter cells.

16.  Meiosis II
 Prophase II
 The chromatin condenses into chromosomes.
 Nuclear envelope disintegrates.
 Centrosomes migrate to either poles.
 Spindle fibres are reformed.
 Metaphase II
 The chromosomes align along the equatorial
plate. On the contrary, the chromosomes in
metaphase I were in homologous pairs.

17.  Anaphase II
 Sister chromatids are pulled to the opposite
poles.
 Telophase II
 Nuclear envelope redevelops and the spindle
fibres disappear.
 Cytokinesis II
 The cytoplasm and cell divide producing 4
non-identical haploid daughter cells.