Why is mitosis used to grow new cells?

Mitosis is a process of cell division that results in two daughter cells, each containing the same number of chromosomes and identical genetic material to the original parent cell. This capability of producing genetically identical cells is crucial for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction in organisms.

When an organism grows, it does so by increasing the number of its cells rather than their size. Mitosis ensures that as new cells are made, they maintain the genetic consistency required for proper function and development. This is especially important in multicellular organisms where specific cell types need to be replicated accurately to fulfill their roles within tissues and organs.

The other options suggest processes that do not apply to mitosis in the context of cell growth. Genetic variation is a characteristic of meiosis, which is the division process that leads to the formation of gametes, not mitosis. While increased size is a result of overall cell division and growth, it is not a direct function of mitosis itself. Additionally, mitosis does not reduce the number of cells; rather, it increases them, contributing to the organism's overall growth and wellbeing.