Mitosis and Meiosis

Unit 3, Lessons 2 and 3

UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

The Reproduction of Cells

• Cells reproduce for
different reasons.
• Some do so to help an
organism grow or repair
itself.
• Others do so to allow the
organism itself to
reproduce.
• Regardless of the reason,
the reproduction of cells is
a necessary part of life.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

The Cell Cycle

• The cell cycle represents the sequence of events that occur
as a eukaryotic cell grows and divides.
• Most of the life of a cell is spent in interphase (G1, S,
and G2)
• In interphase, the cell grows and prepares for division,
including copying its DNA.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

The Structure of DNA

• The genetic information of a cell is stored in DNA, which
is associated with proteins in chromosomes.
• During interphase, DNA exists in a relaxed form called
chromatin.

DNA contains regions

associated with
particular inherited traits,
which are called genes.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Mitosis
During mitosis, division of genetic material occurs.
•The chromosomes move to opposite sides and two nuclei
form, each with an equal distribution of chromosomes.
•The four phases of mitosis are prophase, metaphase,
anaphase, and telophase.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Prophase
•Chromatin condenses to
chromosomes (each half is a
sister chromatid).
•Spindle fibres form.
•The nuclear membrane breaks
down.

Metaphase
•Spindle fibres attach to the
chromosomes and pull them
to the centre.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Anaphase
•Sister chromatids separate and
are pulled towards opposite
sides.

Telophase
•Chromosomes are at opposite
sides of the cell and convert
back to chromatin.
•Two separate nuclei with
identical genetic information
form.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Cytokinesis is final phase of the cell cycle.

• The cytoplasm is divided, and two separate cells, called
daughter cells, are formed.
• In animal cells (A), a furrow pinches the cell and eventually
splits it. In plants cells (B), a cell plate forms between cells
and is replaced with a cell wall when the cells separate.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Mitosis

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Pause and Check

1. Why is it important that the DNA is copied before a cell divides?

2. At what phase of mitosis do the sister chromatids separate?

3. Study the diagram on the

previous slide. How many
chromosomes are present at the
end of interphase? How many
are present in each daughter
cell?

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Gametes
Gametes are male and female reproductive cells, which have
half the number of chromosomes of somatic (all other body)
cells (haploid).
•In fertilization, male and female gametes fuse to form a
zygote that eventually grows to a fetus.
•Chromosomes in diploid cells are paired as homologous
chromosomes.
•We inherit one chromosome from our mother and one from
our father.

Pairs of homologous chromosomes

have similar features, which includes
genes for the same characteristics.
They may, however, have different
versions of those genes.
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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Meiosis

Meiosis is a phase in the cell cycle that divides the number of

chromosomes in half: diploid cells → haploid cells (gametes)
•Meiosis occurs in two phases: meiosis I and meiosis II.

o Meiosis I involves prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I,

and telophase I.
o Meiosis II involves prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase
II, and telophase II.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Prophase I
•Chromosomes condense and
pair up.
•Spindle fibres form.
•Genetic material between
homologous pairs is exchanged
(crossing over).

Metaphase I
•Homologous chromosomes
align in pairs in the centre.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Anaphase I
•Homologous chromosome
pairs separate (still as two
sister chromatids).

Telophase I
•One set of homologous
chromosome pairs at each
side of the cell.
•Spindle fibres break down.

Meiosis II
•The nucleus of each daughter cell produced in meiosis I
divides to form four haploid cells in a similar way to
mitosis.
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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Meiosis

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Pause and Check

4. At what stage in meiosis do homologous
chromosomes pair up along the middle of
the cell?

5. Look at the figure on the previous

screen. How many chromosomes are
present at the end of interphase? How
many are present in each daughter cell?

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Why am I different from my siblings?

In sexual reproduction, offspring are genetically distinct.
•The first reason is the random assortment of chromosomes
when they align at the middle of the cell during metaphase I.

There are two different

ways that the two pairs
of chromosomes could
align at metaphase I.

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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

• The second way that genetic diversity is increased is

through crossing over.
• This occurs in prophase I and involves exchange of genetic
material between the two aligning chromosome pairs.

Since each chromosome pair comes from a parent,

crossing over produces chromatids that have some genes
from the father and some genes from the mother.
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UNIT 3 The Reproduction of Cells

Mitosis and meiosis have similarities and differences.

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