What process produces a duplicate of the original cell?

Mitosis is the process that produces a genetically identical duplicate of the original cell. It allows one eukaryotic cell to divide into two daughter cells with matching genetic information and, usually, the same chromosome number as the parent.

Before mitosis begins, the cell copies its DNA during the S phase of interphase. During mitosis, duplicated chromosomes condense, line up, and are pulled apart by spindle fibers so each new nucleus receives one complete set. Cytokinesis then splits the cytoplasm and cell membrane, completing the formation of two cells.

Mitosis is essential for growth, tissue repair, and routine cell replacement. It also supports asexual reproduction in organisms such as many plants and single-celled eukaryotes. A common mix-up is meiosis: meiosis produces four genetically varied cells with half the usual chromosome number, mainly for sexual reproduction. DNA replication copies genetic material, but mitosis is the division process that distributes those copies into daughter cells.