What is a key feature of mitosis?

A key feature of mitosis is that it results in two diploid cells. During mitosis, a single parent cell divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells that maintain the same chromosome number as the parent cell. This process is crucial for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction in multicellular organisms.

In somatic cells, which are the body cells, mitosis ensures that the new cells carry the same genetic information, essential for maintaining the characteristics of the organism. The diploid state is characterized by having two sets of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent, which is preserved in both daughter cells after division.

Understanding this feature of mitosis highlights its role in cellular processes, as it is designed for cell proliferation while keeping genetic consistency, unlike meiosis, which involves recombination and reduces the chromosome number by half for gamete formation.