Mitosis and Meiosis
The first activity we did for mitosis was in a group of two, we demonstrated each step of mitosis from interphase to cytokinesis, which was represented by.  Once we finished this part of understanding mitosis our class did was look at slides under a microscope and recognize each of the different phases in both an animal cell and a plant cell.  In a different class, we covered meiosis and for this activity, we did the same thing as our first activity with mitosis--we represented each stage, starting with prophase I and went to telophase II.  One thing I learned was the prophase to telophase in mitosis is exactly the same as the processes from prophase II to telophase II in meiosis.  My previous teachers made it seem as if they are two totally different process, which, to an extent, they are, but understanding meiosis could have been so much simpler if they described the second part of meiosis as the same process as prophase to telophase in mitosis.  Another thing I learned--at least from my perspective--animal cells express mitosis clearer than do plant cells.  Because plant cells are so close together and there are so many more in an enclosed space, it gave created more difficulties pinpointing which cell was in which stage.  Animal cells are rounder and I found it easier to identify each individual stage.  The last thing I learned is just how unique both meiosis and mitosis are.  Just knowing that there are thousands of cells going through the cell cycle in my body is truly fascinating.  In ways mitosis and meiosis differ is that when meiosis enters prophase I, the chromosomes more close together and exchange segments in a process called crossing over.  Metaphase I in meiosis and mitosis is essentially the same process with both processes connecting to spindle fibers and aligning in the middle of the cell, except in meiosis there are pairs aligned with each other while in mitosis, the chromosomes are in a straight line with no pairs.  However, in telophase I in meiosis and telophase in mitosis, when the chromatids separate they do NOT create an identical cell because of the crossing over process.  Once meiosis reaches prophase II, it is the same process as in mitosis.  The major different between the two is that meiosis happens only when they need to make sperm or an egg, and mitosis is for organic growth in tissues, fibers, and membranes.  Also, there is only one cell division in mitosis, while there are two in meiosis.




This picture represents mitosis taking place in an animal cell.



This picture represents the prophase I in meiosis.