AP Biology

Chapter 13 Guided Reading Assignment

1. Compare and contrast asexual and sexual reproduction.

in asexual reproduction some individual copies all of its genes to its offspring.
whereas in sexual reproduction two individuals produce offspring that have unique
combinations of genes from the parent organisms.
2. Define the following terms:
a. Life cycle
It is the generation to generation sequence of stages in the reproductive history of
an organism, from conception to production of its own offspring.
b. Somatic cell
Any cell other than a gamete.
c. Karyotype
It is the chromosomes when they are arranged in pairs.
d. Homologous chromosomes
It is when two chromosomes composing a pair have the same length, centromere
position, and staining pattern.
e. Sex chromosomes
The x and y determine the sex of the individual
f. Autosomes
All the other chromosomes that dont determine sex.
g. Diploid cell
Any cell with two chromosome sets.
h. Haploid cell
Any somatic cells, gamete contain a single chromosome set.
i. Fertilization
It is the union of gametes, culminating in fusion of their nuclei.
j. Zygote
It is the fertilized egg.
k. meiosis
This type of division reduces the number of sets of chromosomes from two to one
in the gametes.
3. How are karyotypes prepared?
karyotypes are produced from isolated somatic cells which are forced to stimulate mitosis
over several days

4. Describe the three different types of life cycles.

animals-in animals gametes are only haploid cells. Mitosis happens while the production
of gametes is occurring then they dont undergo any more division after fertilization. The
diploid zygote divided through the process of mitosis producing a diploid multicellular
organism.
Plants-The diploid phase is called the sporophyte. Meiosis produces spores which are
haploid cells. Theses spores divide through the process of mitosis making a multicellular
haploid stage called the gametophyte.

Page 1 of 4
 Fungi-after the gametes fuse together they form a diploid zygote, meiosis occurs without
a diploid offspring developing. Meiosis produces haploid cells that divide in mitosis and
produce a haploid multicellular adult organism.

5. What exactly is meant by alternation of generations?

Well, its a life cycle where there are both a multicellular diploid form, called the
sporophyte, and a multicellular haploid form, called the gametophyte.

6. Complete the diagram below outlining an overview of meiosis.

7. What are the two broad goals of meiosis?

The two goals are to produce haploid daughter cells and generate variation.

8. Label the following diagrams of meiosis.

Page 2 of 4
9. Summarize the comparison of mitosis and meiosis.
One large difference between the two is that meiosis reduces the number of chromosomes
in the cell produced by half the original amount, but mitosis produces exact copies. The
most important difference is that mitosis produces cells that help with growth and tissue
repair whereas meiosis produces only gametes.

10. Describe in detail the three sources of genetic variation in meiosis.

Page 3 of 4
a. Independently assorted chromosomes-occurs in metaphase 1. When they are lined
up there is an equal chance to receive a chromosome from the father or from the
mother.

b. Genetic recombination or commonly known as crossover-occurs in prophase 1,

this occurs when the chromatids of both homologous chromosome pairs bring
their arms together and attach by a protein structure called the synaptonemal
complex. Then a non-sister chromatid pair crosses its genes with its neighbor.
This effectively changes the codons in that gene and those of the daughter cell
that will receive that chromatid. This also increases the variety of potential
gametes produced in mitosis.

c. Random fertilization-Due to all the variations between individual gametes, there

are many potential combinations that can occur to form a zygote. More
choices=greater genetic diversity=more likely to develop different traits than
siblings/other members of species=favorable traits win out=Darwinism.

Page 4 of 4