What is the primary difference between mitosis and meiosis?

The primary distinction between mitosis and meiosis revolves around the types of cells that each process generates. Mitosis is responsible for producing somatic cells, which are all the body cells excluding the reproductive cells. This process results in two identical daughter cells, allowing for growth, development, and tissue repair.

In contrast, meiosis specifically produces gametes, which are the reproductive cells—sperm in males and eggs in females. This process is critical for sexual reproduction as it reduces the chromosome number by half, ensuring that when fertilization occurs, the resulting offspring has the correct number of chromosomes.

The option selected emphasizes the importance of understanding where each of these processes occurs, with mitosis occurring in somatic cells throughout the body and meiosis being limited to the sex cells. This foundational knowledge is essential in distinguishing between the mechanisms of cellular division and their respective roles in biology.