What type of cell division is primarily used for growth and repair?

Mitosis is the type of cell division primarily responsible for growth and repair in multicellular organisms. During mitosis, a single cell divides to produce two genetically identical daughter cells, each containing the same number of chromosomes as the original cell. This process allows for the increase in cell numbers, which is essential for the development of tissues and organs as well as for the healing of injuries or damage.

In contrast, meiosis is specifically used for the production of gametes (sperm and egg cells) and involves two rounds of division, leading to four non-identical daughter cells with half the chromosome number. Binary fission is a type of asexual reproduction seen mainly in prokaryotes, like bacteria, and does not pertain to tissue growth or repair in multicellular organisms. Cell differentiation refers to the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type, not a method of cell division itself. Mitosis, therefore, plays a crucial role in the maintenance and repair of tissues, making it the correct answer for this question.