How many cells are produced in mitosis and are they identical or different?

• A. 4 identical
• B. 2 different
• C. 4 different
• D. 2 identical

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that mitosis produces two daughter cells that are genetically identical to each other and to the original cell. Before mitosis, the cell duplicates its DNA, so each chromosome has two sister chromatids. During mitosis, the chromatids separate and are distributed to the two new nuclei, followed by division of the cytoplasm. As a result, you get two daughter cells, each with a full set of chromosomes and the same genetic information as the parent cell (ignoring rare new mutations). That’s why the correct choice describes two identical cells. The other options would imply more than two cells or genetic differences between the daughters, which isn’t how mitosis operates (four cells come from meiosis, and genetic differences would arise only from mutations or from processes like crossing over in meiosis, not in standard mitosis).