<span>meiosis
This does a good job of explaining it.
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/cells/cellular-division/a/mitosis-and-meiosis
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Break down food into simpiler compounds in order to supply nutrients to the body - monosacchrides, nucleotides, peptides, lipids.
I'm pretty sure it's primary growth. I might not have studied this type of biology yet, but secondary growth would definitely not be the answer.<span />
