How does meiosis I differ from mitosis?

MeiOSis I differs from mitosis in several key ways. In meiOSis I, homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange genetic material through crossing over, resulting in genetic diversity. Additionally, meiOSis I involves two rounds of cell division, resulting in the formation of haploid cells with half the number of chromosomes as the original cell. In contrast, mitosis involves only one round of cell division and results in the formation of two identical diploid cells.