Here's why:

* Somatic cells are all the cells in your body that are not involved in sexual reproduction. These include cells like skin cells, muscle cells, and nerve cells. They are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes.

* Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that produces gametes (sperm and egg cells). Gametes are haploid, meaning they have only one set of chromosomes.

Meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction because it ensures that the offspring receive half of their genetic material from each parent. Somatic cells, on the other hand, reproduce through mitosis, which creates two identical daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes.

In summary:

* Somatic cells undergo mitosis for growth and repair.

* Gametes are produced by meiosis for sexual reproduction.