The type of cell division that produces body cells, also known as somatic cells, is mitosis.
- Mitosis results in two daughter cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell, each containing the same number of chromosomes (diploid) as the original cell
- Somatic cells include all cells forming the body tissues and organs, such as skin, muscles, and internal organs, excluding reproductive cells (gametes)
- During mitosis, replicated chromosomes are separated into two nuclei, followed by cytokinesis, which divides the cytoplasm and cell membrane, producing two identical daughter cells
- This process is essential for growth, tissue repair, and replacing damaged or dying cells in the body
In contrast, meiosis is the type of cell division that produces gametes (sperm and egg cells) and reduces the chromosome number by half, creating genetic diversity
. Summary:
Mitosis is the cell division process responsible for producing body (somatic)
cells, maintaining genetic consistency across cells in an organism.
