The key difference between cell division and mitosis is that cell division refers to a series of processes including nuclear division and cytokinesis which produce daughter cells from the parent cells while mitosis refers to the division of the parent nucleus into two genetically identical daughter nuclei.
Self-replicating ability is considered as one of the great characteristic features of most living organisms as it helps growth and reproduction. Moreover, self-replication is an organized and continuous process; hence, it is called the cell cycle. Cell cycle has four basic phases including cell division, G1, S, and G2 phases. Mitosis refers to the nuclear division, and it comes under the cell division. In addition, cytokinesis is the last step of the cell division.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cell Division
3. What is Mitosis
4. Similarities Between Cell Division and Mitosis
5. Side by Side Comparison – Cell Division vs Mitosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Cell Division?
Cell division is the process of self-replication that results in new daughter cells. It includes two processes: nuclear division and cytokinesis. Moreover, nuclear division can be divided into two processes as mitosis and meiosis. Mitotic cell division produces genetically identical cells from somatic cells while meiosis produces gametes from germ cells that contain different genetic content.
However, for a complete cell division, both mitosis and meiosis should end with cytokinesis. This is also an important process; in both cases, cytokinesis is considered as a part of cell division. Cytokinesis is the actual division of cytoplasm followed by nuclear division. In animal cells, it occurs by means of constriction of the plasma membrane at the cell equator while, in plant cells, it occurs by forming a cell plate at the cell equator.
What is Mitosis?
Mitosis is the process of producing two genetically identical daughter nuclei from a parent nucleus. It only occurs in somatic cells and helps the growth of organisms. Mitosis occurs via four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Figure 02: Mitosis
Prior to mitosis, DNA replication should happen in order to double the number of chromosomes. During prophase, the nuclear membrane and nucleolus disappear while chromosomes condense and become visible. In metaphase, chromosomes arrange themselves at the cell equator as the spindle formation is completed. The chromosomes split from the centromeres and separate into sister chromatids. Then the sister chromatids start to separate during the anaphase. Finally, when chromosomes reach the poles of the cell, nuclear membranes start to reform and surround each set of chromosomes.
What are the Similarities Between Cell Division and Mitosis?
- Mitosis is a part of cell division.
- In both cell division and mitosis, a single thing is divided into two parts.
- Also, both processes are extremely important processes in multicellular organisms.
What is the Difference Between Cell Division and Mitosis?
Cell division is the process of self-replication of cells that results in new cells from parent cells. Whereas, mitosis is the division of the cell nucleus resulting in two genetically identical daughter nuclei. So, this is the key difference between cell division and mitosis. Furthermore, cell division includes nuclear division and cytokinesis while mitosis consists of four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Moreover, a further difference between cell division and mitosis is that both somatic and germ cells undergo cell division while only somatic cells undergo mitosis. Also, cell division takes more time to complete than mitosis. Hence, we can consider this too as a difference between cell division and mitosis.
Below infographic summarizes the difference between cell division and mitosis.
Summary – Cell Division vs Mitosis
Cell division is the process that produces new cells from the parent cells. It includes nuclear division and cytoplasmic division. On the other hand, mitosis is one of the two types of nuclear divisions. Mitosis results in two daughter nuclei from a parent nucleus and the daughter nuclei are genetically identical with that of the parent nucleus. Thus, both cell division and mitosis are important processes in living organisms. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between cell division and mitosis.
Reference:
1. “Cell Division.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Mar. 2019, Available here.
2. “Mitosis.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Three cell growth types” By domdomegg – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Mitosis Stages” By Ali Zifan – Own work; Used information from:Campbell Biology (10th Edition) by Jane B. Reece & Steven A. Wasserman.and Nature.com (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia