What type of cell division produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms?

Meiosis is the specific process of cell division that produces reproductive cells, known as gametes, in sexually reproducing organisms. During meiosis, a single diploid cell undergoes two rounds of division, resulting in four haploid cells, each containing half the number of chromosomes of the original cell. This reduction in chromosome number is crucial for maintaining the stability of an organism's genetic information across generations.

When two gametes from different parents unite during fertilization, they restore the diploid state, allowing for genetic diversity. This genetic variation is essential for evolution and adaptation. In plants and animals, meiosis occurs in the formation of sperm and egg cells in animals, and in the production of pollen and ovules in plants.

This distinction is significant, as other processes like binary fission and mitosis do not produce gametes. Binary fission is a form of asexual reproduction found primarily in single-celled organisms, while mitosis is a process for somatic cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, used for growth and repair tissues in an organism. Cell differentiation refers to the process by which a cell changes from one cell type to another, and does not specifically relate to the production of reproductive cells.