Mitosis Essay

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Mitosis and Meiosis SCI230 February 1, 2011 Travis Hurst Mitosis and Meiosis CheckPoint: Mitosis and Meiosis • Resources: Ch. 5 of Bioinquiry and student companion Web site • Due Date: Day 4 [post to the Assignment section of eCampus] • Review section 5.1 of Bioinquiry and the videos entitled “Chromosomes,” “Chromosome Replication,” “Mitosis,” and “Meiosis” at http://higheredbcs.wiley.com/legacy/college/pruitt/0471473219/bioinquiries/ch05/bioinquiry_section_5_1.html • Include proper APA citation of outside sources. • Post a 200- to 300-word response explaining why the process of mitosis and meiosis are both important to a living organism. When would an organism need to undergo the process of mitosis? Meiosis? What would happen if meiosis did not occur? Mitosis and Meiosis are both very important as they both involve dividing the cell to reproduce new cells. This process essential means this process is what creates life. Mitosis produces two daughter cells that are identical to the parent cell. Meiosis produces daughter cells that have one half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell (Michael J. Gregory, 2006). Meiosis is necessary in sexually-reproducing organisms because the fusion of two gametes (fertilization) doubles the number of chromosomes. The purpose of mitosis is for single-celled organisms to divide to reproduce. Cell division in multicellular organisms enables the organism to grow larger while the cells remain small. A large surface to volume ratio is due to small cell size. Organisms would not live or grow without mitosis. Meiosis is necessary so that living organism can reproduce and continue to exist as well. Both of the processes are essential for life. References Michael J. Gregory, P. (2006, April 08). Biology Web. Retrieved February 1, 2011, from

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