How does mitosis differ in unicellular and multicellular organisms?

Mitosis in unicellular organisms results in two new individuals, while in multicellular organisms it leads to growth and repair.

Mitosis is a process of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells. However, the role and outcome of mitosis vary between unicellular and multicellular organisms. In unicellular organisms, such as bacteria and amoeba, mitosis is a form of asexual reproduction. When conditions are favourable, these organisms divide by mitosis to produce two new individuals, each a clone of the parent. This is their primary method of reproduction, allowing rapid population growth when resources are abundant.

In contrast, multicellular organisms like plants, animals and fungi use mitosis for growth, development and repair. As the organism grows, cells divide by mitosis to increase the number of cells. This allows the organism to become larger and more complex. For example, when a child grows into an adult, their body size increases due to the mitotic division of cells. Similarly, if a multicellular organism is injured, mitosis can replace damaged or lost cells. For instance, if you cut your skin, the cells around the wound will divide by mitosis to heal the injury.

In multicellular organisms, mitosis also plays a crucial role in maintaining the correct number of chromosomes in each cell. Each cell in a multicellular organism needs to have the same genetic information to function correctly. During mitosis, the chromosomes are duplicated and then equally divided between the two new cells. This ensures that each cell has the correct number of chromosomes and the same genetic information.

In summary, while the process of mitosis is similar in both unicellular and multicellular organisms, the purpose and outcome of this cell division vary. In unicellular organisms, mitosis is a form of reproduction, while in multicellular organisms, it is a mechanism for growth, repair and maintaining genetic consistency.