Mitosis drives somatic cell division for growth and repair

Steps:

• Define mitosis as nuclear division producing two identical diploid cells for tissue growth, maintenance, or repair.
• Eliminate options not directly tied to mitotic division in somatic tissues.
• Identify processes in plant apical meristems or animal wound healing as classic mitotic examples.
• Confirm the option matching root tip cell formation via mitosis in meristematic zones.

Why C is correct:

• Mitosis occurs in root apical meristems to produce new cells for elongation and growth, per the cell theory's emphasis on division for multicellular development.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Clonal selection activates and proliferates T-lymphocytes via mitosis but centers on immune specificity, not pure division.
• B: Identical to C but phrased differently; likely a duplicate, not distinctly separate.
• D: Skin repair uses mitosis for cell replacement, but focuses on regeneration rather than primary growth.

Final answer: C