Meiosis II is almost identical to mitosis; the only difference is the cells are haploid. A new spindle develops at right angles to the old one. Individual chromosomes line up at the equator. The chromosomes are divided at the centromere into chromatids which are pulled to opposite poles.

Mitosis involves one cell division, whereas meiosis involves two cell divisions.

Both occur only in reproductive cells. DNA replication occurs before the division of the nucleus. Both are involved in asexual reproduction. The number of chromosomes is reduced by half.

Both processes produce daughter cells that are genetically identical to the mother cell. Both processes include two rounds of cell division. Both processes include a stage wherein the sister chromatids are pulled apart and separated into chromosomes. Both processes give rise to four daughter cells.

Finally, unlike mitosis, meiosis involves two rounds of nuclear division, not just one. A key difference, however, is that during meiosis, each of these phases occurs twice — once during the first round of division, called meiosis I, and again during the second round of division, called meiosis II.

Key Takeaways: Mitosis vs Meiosis The division of a cell occurs once in mitosis but twice in meiosis. Two daughter cells are produced after mitosis and cytoplasmic division, while four daughter cells are produced after meiosis.

The purpose of mitosis is cell regeneration, growth, and asexual reproduction,while the purpose of meiosis is the production of gametes for sexual reproduction. Mitosis is a single nuclear division that results in two nuclei that are usually partitioned into two new daughter cells.