Cell division ensures the passage of genetic information from one generation of cells to the next. Mitosis and meiosis are the two main types of cell division. Mitosis produces somatic cells for growth and repair through binary fission in prokaryotes or nuclear division and cytokinesis in eukaryotes. Meiosis produces gametes through two rounds of nuclear division followed by cytokinesis, resulting in four haploid cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the original cell. Sexual reproduction requires the fusion of gametes during fertilization to form a diploid zygote and increase genetic variation in offspring.