title: Meiosis: an overview of key differences from mitosis.
abstract: Meiosis is the specialized cell division that generates gametes. In contrast to mitosis, molecular mechanisms and regulation of meiosis are much less understood. Meiosis shares mechanisms and regulation with mitosis in many aspects, but also has critical differences from mitosis. This review highlights these differences between meiosis and mitosis. Recent studies using various model systems revealed differences in a surprisingly wide range of aspects, including cell-cycle regulation, recombination, postrecombination events, spindle assembly, chromosome-spindle interaction, and chromosome segregation. Although a great degree of diversity can be found among organisms, meiosis-specific processes, and regulation are generally conserved.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohkura
mesh_terms: D002877:Chromosomes, Human; D006801:Humans; D008540:Meiosis; D008938:Mitosis; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D008941:Spindle Apparatus