What are the main differences between mitosis and meiosis?

Mitosis Human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes (diploid - 2 copies of each chromosomes). This is a form of cell devision which makes an exact replica of the cell that is dividing. The cell grows and the DNA replicates so that each pair of chromosomes is doubled. The chromosomes line along the centre of the cell and the duplicated chromosomes separate from each other. The cytoplasm and cell membrane divide to form two daughter cells. The genetic material in the mother and daughter is identical and both have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Meiosis This is a form of cell devision which does not make an exact replica of the cell that is dividing. The cell grows and the DNA replicates so that each pair of chromosomes is doubled. The duplicated chromosomes separate from each other. The cytoplasm and cell membrane divide to form two daughter cells. The two cells divide again so that only one of the pairs of each chromosome exists in a cell. The genetic material in the mother and daughter is not identical. The cells have haploid (single set of) chromosomes - 23 copies.