Errors in cell division can cause health problems and affect how we grow and develop. There are two main types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis. Both are very important for growth, development, and making new organisms.

Mitosis

Mitosis is when a cell splits to make two identical cells. This happens in regular body cells, which are called somatic cells. Sometimes, mistakes can happen during mitosis, called mitotic errors. These errors can lead to issues like:

• Aneuploidy: This is when cells have the wrong number of chromosomes. For example, around 1 in 160 babies are born with Down syndrome, which happens because there is an extra chromosome 21.
• Cancer: Mistakes in mitosis can cause cells to grow out of control. About 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their life, much of it caused by changes in their DNA that can happen during cell division.

Meiosis

Meiosis is a special type of cell division that creates gametes, which are the sperm and eggs. Mistakes during meiosis can also cause genetic problems, such as:

• Non-disjunction: This is when chromosome pairs don’t separate properly. Because of this, gametes can end up with an extra chromosome or miss one. For example, around 1 in 1000 babies are born with Turner syndrome, which happens when females have a missing or incomplete X chromosome.
• Structural Chromosome Abnormalities: Sometimes, parts of chromosomes can be deleted, duplicated, or mixed up. About 1 in 600 births results in a child who has a chromosome problem.

Summary

To sum it up, mistakes during cell division, whether in mitosis or meiosis, can lead to different genetic disorders. These mistakes can happen because of the environment, genetics, or just by chance. Understanding how these errors occur is important in genetics. It helps researchers find ways to treat and prevent these disorders. The facts about genetic disorders show us just how crucial it is to have accurate cell division to keep people healthy.