A comparison of the events in mitosis (left) and meiosis (right)

In mitosis, a diploid parental cell undergoes chromosome replication. When the cell enters prophase, the chromosomes become visible as replicated structures with sister chromatids held together by a common centromere. Unpaired chromosomes line up at the equator of the cell in metaphase. In anaphase, the centromeres separate, converting the sister chromatids into chromosomes. The result is two daughter cells, each of which is genetically identical to the parental cell. In meiosis, the parental diploid cell undergoes chromosome replication. When the cell enters prophase I, the chromosomes become visible as replicated structures with sister chromatids held together by a common centromere. Members of a chromosome pair physically associate with each other and line up at the equator of the cell at metaphase I. Members of a chromosome pair separate in anaphase I and move to opposite poles of the cell. In meiosis II, the unpaired chromosomes in each cell line up on the equator of the cell. During anaphase II, the centromeres split, converting the sister chromatids into chromosomes, which are distributed to daughter cells. The result is four haploid daughter cells, each with one copy of the chromosomes.