Mitosis produces two genetically identical daughter cells; meiosis (two successive divisions) produces four genetically distinct haploid gametes via homologous recombination.
Mitosis: 2N → 2N + 2N (identical)
Meiosis I: 2N → N + N (homologs separate, crossing-over shuffles alleles)
Meiosis II: N → N + N (sister chromatids separate, like mitosis)
- Division type — switches which division is animated.
- Chromosome pairs — how many homologous pairs the cell starts with.
- Spindle speed — how fast the cell cycles through prophase → metaphase → anaphase → telophase.
- Crossing-over — toggles a visible chiasma linking homologous chromosomes during meiosis I prophase (the source of genetic variation).
Real-world relevance: errors in this segregation step (nondisjunction) are the leading cause of chromosomal conditions like Down syndrome.