What is mitosis and meiosis in biology?

Mitosis and meiosis are the two types of cell-divisions which occur in the body cells of an organism.In our human body two types of cells are found-
1.Somatic cells – The cells other than the reproductive cells of our body are called as somatic cells.Such cells divides by mitotic division leads to growth of tissues,fibres and membranes.In mitosis parent cell divides to form two daughter cells which are genetically identical to the each other and carbon-copy of the parent.It occurs in single-cell organisms.
2.Gametic cells – The reproductve or gametic cells of our body like sperm and ovum are divided by meiosis.In such cellular division, parent cell divides to form four daughter cells which have half-number of chromosomes as compared to parent cell.So such cells are genetically different from parent cell.

Cells need to duplicate. There are two main methods of replication, mitosis and meiosis.

The big idea to remember is that mitosis is the simple duplication of a cell and all of its parts. It duplicates its DNA and the two new cells (daughter cells) have the same pieces and genetic code. Two identical copies come from one original.

Meiosis is a special type of cell division necessary for sexual reproduction which occurs or has occurred in all eukaryotes, including animals, plants and fungi, including both multi-celled and single-celled organisms. The number of sets of chromosomes in the cell undergoing meiosis is reduced to half the original number, typically from two sets (diploid) to one set (haploid).