# Describe the roles of mitosis and cell differentiation in the growth and development of a multicellular organism.

> Eduqas A-Level Biology — 1.2 Cell structure and organisation · Describe · 5 marks

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. Mitosis produces two daughter cells
2. The daughter cells contain identical copies of DNA (to the parent cell)
3. Mitosis allows the organism to grow and/or replace old or damaged cells
4. Cell differentiation produces specialised cells adapted to carry out a specific function
5. Specialised cells are produced by altering genes in the cell's DNA, leading to greater efficiency

## Key terms

- [mitosis](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/mitosis)
- [cell differentiation](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/cell-differentiation)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/describe-the-roles-of-mitosis-and-3267ff68) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.