Meiosis

Cell division that reduces

the chromosome number
Production of haploid cells
Zeus
 Vocabulary
• Homologous
• Diploid
• Haploid
• Meiosis
• autosomes
• Crossing-over
• Gametes
• Zygote
 Background
• Until the 19th century, scientists
believed that traits from parents
would blend in the offspring.
• Gregor Mendel crossed different
strands of pea plants and discovered
that genetic traits or “factors” are not
blended but passed onto the offspring
• These “factors”, or genes are part of
the chromosome and have specific
locations.
Chromosomes
• Humans have 23 homologous
pairs
• Two sets of chromosomes
• Diploid: 2n= 46 total
• Homologous: appear nearly
identical and contain the same
genes but are derived from
different parents.
• 22 are called autosomes
• 1 pair is a sex chromosome
• Sex chromosomes=
♂ male “XY”
♀ female “XX”
 Review of chromosomes
• Chromosomes are
genetically the same in
different types of somatic
cells. (specialization)
• Chromosome number is
specific for the species.
• Chimpanzees have 48
• Mendel’s pea plants have
14
• Some fern species have
over 1,000
Meiosis
Similar to mitosis but different
• Mitosis is asexual cell reproduction
• Meiosis is a prelude to sexual reproduction
• Meiosis and Mitosis creates more cells
• Meiosis has an additional step which
reduces the # of chromosomes in each
daughter cell to ½ the original amount
• Meiosis: DNA replication occurs only once
• Meiosis: occurs in germ cells (gametes)
Meiosis vs. Mitosis
 Gametes: a.k.a. germ cells
• Cells produced in
reproductive organs
• Humans: testes &
ovaries
• Egg and sperm cells
only contain 23
chromosomes
• created by parent cells
through meiosis
• Haploid (n= 23)
Sexual reproduction
• Sperm cell fuses with an
egg to create a new
organism
• Genetic mix of both
parents
• In order for the offspring
to have the correct
number of chromosomes
the parent cells (gametes)
must only have half the
usual number of
chromosomes
Meiosis: two steps
 Meiosis creates diversity
• Meiosis I
– Prophase I
– Chromosomes form a
tetrad
*crossing over occurs
which is an overlap b/n
chromosomes
– Metaphase I
– Anaphase I
– Telophase I
 Meiosis II
• Proceeds like mitotic
division
• Each daughter cell
from meiosis I splits
into two haploid
gametes.
• Result is 4 daughter
cells with 23
chromosomes each.
 Online resources
• Meiosis tutorial
• Cornell tutorial Excellent pictures and
online quiz
• Animation of meiosis
• Meiosis tutorial step by step
 Review
1. What do the terms haploid and diploid mean?
2. What are the principal differences between
mitosis and meiosis?
3. What is crossing over?
4. In human cells, 2N=46. How many
chromosomes would you expect to find in a
sperm cell? In an egg cell? In a white blood cell?
5. Describe the main results of meiosis.