Title: Mitosis and meiosis. Drawing by M. Sashital.

Description: Top. Mitosis is the production of two cells from a single cell in one cell division. The two cells produced have the same chromosome number as the initial cell, i.e., they remain diploid. The cells produced are somatic or asexual cells. Bottom: Meiosis is the production of four cells from one cell in two cell divisions. In the first division the chromsome number becomes haploid, i.e., the chromosome number is reduced to one-half of the original number. The four cells produced are gametes or sexual cells, for example eggs and sperm.