Which process is primarily responsible for cell division in somatic cells?

Mitosis is the correct answer because it is the process by which a single somatic cell divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells. This process is crucial for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction in multicellular organisms. During mitosis, the cell undergoes a series of well-defined stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, followed by cytokinesis, which physically separates the two new cells.

This division ensures that each daughter cell receives a complete set of chromosomes, maintaining the chromosome number of the original somatic cell. Mitosis is specifically tailored for somatic cells, which encompass all body cells except for germ cells that participate in reproduction.

Other processes such as meiosis are involved in producing gametes and lead to genetic diversity through reduction division, while binary fission is a process of cell division typically found in prokaryotic organisms like bacteria. Cell differentiation refers to the process by which unspecialized cells develop into specific types of cells, rather than a division process.