In order to grow, most living organisms increase their cell number. Cells double in number by splitting in half.
There are two types of cell division 鈥 mitosis and meiosis.
Mitosis
Mitosis is used to grow or to replace worn out cells and to repair damaged tissue.
Mitosis produces two new cells (daughter cells) in one division.
The daughter cells produced are genetically identical (clones) to the parent cell and each other.
This process ensures that every cell in the growing organism contains the same geneThe basic unit of genetic material inherited from our parents. A gene is a section of DNA which controls part of a cell's chemistry - particularly protein production. and chromosome Genetic structures that usually occur in functional pairs in the nucleus of cells (except gametes and bacteria)..