What is mitosis?

Mitosis is a form of cell division that results in the production of two genetically identical daughter cells from a single parent cell. This process is crucial for growth, development, and tissue repair in multicellular organisms. During mitosis, the replicated chromosomes are evenly divided between the two new cells, ensuring that each daughter cell receives an exact copy of the genetic material.

This is in contrast to meiosis, which is the type of cell division that leads to genetic diversity through the production of gametes (sperm and eggs). The other options provided do not accurately describe mitosis; cell respiration refers to the metabolic process of converting glucose into energy, while protein synthesis involves the creation of proteins from amino acids based on DNA instructions. Mitosis specifically addresses cell reproduction and does so by cloning the original cell's DNA, thereby maintaining genetic consistency across cellular generations.