Why is mitosis important for multicellular organisms?

• A. It generates ATP by breaking down glucose during cellular respiration.
• B. It increases genetic variation by crossing over between homologous chromosomes.
• C. It reduces the chromosome number by half to produce gametes for sexual reproduction.
• D. It produces genetically identical daughter cells needed for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction in some organisms.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of mitosis in multicellular organisms: Mitosis is a process of cell division that results in two daughter cells, each genetically identical to the parent cell.
2. Recognize that mitosis is essential for growth: As an organism grows, it needs more cells, and mitosis provides a way to increase cell number while maintaining genetic consistency.
3. Consider tissue repair: When tissues are damaged, mitosis allows for the replacement of lost or damaged cells with identical ones, ensuring proper function is restored.
4. Differentiate mitosis from meiosis: Unlike meiosis, which reduces chromosome number by half to produce gametes, mitosis maintains the chromosome number, producing genetically identical cells.
5. Note that mitosis supports asexual reproduction in some organisms by producing clones, which is important for species that reproduce without gametes.