What process do cells use to divide and replicate?

Cells use mitosis to divide and replicate for several important reasons. Mitosis is a crucial process of cell division that allows for the generation of two genetically identical daughter cells from a single parent cell. This is essential for growth, development, and tissue repair in multicellular organisms. During mitosis, the cell goes through a series of well-defined stages—prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase—leading to the accurate distribution of replicated chromosomes into the two daughter cells.

Mitosis ensures that each new cell has the same number of chromosomes and genetic information as the original cell, maintaining genetic continuity. This process is vital in somatic (non-reproductive) cells and is the mechanism behind processes such as wound healing and tissue regeneration.

While other processes are related to cell division, they serve different purposes. Meiosis, for example, is involved in the production of gametes (sperm and egg cells) and reduces the chromosome number by half, enabling sexual reproduction. Binary fission is a simpler form of cell division utilized by prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, which results in two new cells without the complex stages characterizing mitosis. Cell differentiation refers to the process whereby a cell changes from one