MEIOSIS At each chiasma, crossing over happens when

portions of a chromatid on ne homologous

GERM CELLS - special immature cells in the sex
chromosome breaks, exchanges, and rejoins
organs.
genetic material with the corresponding
MEIOSIS – important in sexual reproduction
portions on one of the chromatids of the other
form of cell division that involves the formation
homologous chromosome.
of sex cells. Divides the number of
chromosomes into halves in the formation of
METAPHASE I
gametes.
➢ The pairs of homologous chromosomes
are randomly moved by the spindle
Reduction division
fiber to equator of the cell.
Sex cells produced are genetically unique
➢ This process is important, as this
haploid cells.
arrangement mixes the chromosomes,
Involves two divisions of the nucleus known as
helping to create genetic diversity and
MEIOSIS I AND MEIOSIS II
variation.

Homologous chromosomes are two separate

ANAPHASE I
chromosomes with one set coming from the
mother and another from the father. Similar to
➢ Homologous chromosomes separate
each other in terms of size, shape, length, and
from each other.
genetic content. They do not have the exact
➢ As in mitosis, chromosomes of each pair
same copies of each other. Each half of the
are pulled to the opposite sides of the
duplicated chromosome is called a chromatid.
cell by the action of spindle fibers.
Sister chromatids are duplicated chromosomes ➢ Sister chromatids remain together and
attached to each other by a structure called do not separate at their centromeres
centromere. throughout meiosis I.

Homologous chromosomes divide during TELOPHASE I

meiosis I while sister chromatids are not divided
until they reach meiosis II. ➢ The individual chromosomes that have
been pulled in opposite directions now
gather at each pole.
MEIOSIS I ➢ Both poles contain one chromosome
Before meiosis starts, the DNA has been from each pair of the homologous
replicated or copied in the germ cell. chromosomes.
Meiosis I focus on the division of homologous ➢ Reappearance of the nuclear
chromosomes to produce two haploid cells membrane and disassembly of spindle
with duplicated chromosomes. fibers.

PROPHASE I CYTOKINESIS
➢ Breaking down of nuclear envelope. ➢ The cytoplasm divides through
➢ Spindle fibers begin to assemble. cytokinesis, forming two new cells each
➢ Duplicated chromosomes condense, having a combination of 23
while the homologous chromosomes chromosomes from parent cells.
pair and line up by gene precisely in its
length. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR EVENTS IN MEIOSIS I?
➢ Pairing of homologous chromosomes
Aside from pairing along their length, the cross ➢ Formation of chiasma
over at a point called chiasma. ➢ Crossing-over
MEIOSIS II HUMAN LIFE CYCLE and SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
The goal of meiosis II is to divide sister
chromatids, resulting in sex cells with only half Sexual Reproduction
the chromosome number. - Combining genetic materials from two
different parents.
PROPHASE II - - sperm cell or spermatozoon (pl.
spermatozoa)
➢ New spindle fibers forms around the - Egg cell or ovum (pl. ova)
chromosome. The actual fusion of sperm and egg cell is the
➢ The nuclear envelope breaks down fertilization; which produces the zygote. The
new nucleus of the zygote must contain the
METAPHASE II correct number of chromosomes in order to
produce a healthy individual. Both the sperm
➢ Chromosomes line up along the equator and the egg cell are produced in a type of
through the spindle fiber. cell division called meiosis.
➢ At this stage, each chromosome has a
sister chromatids still attached to the MEIOSIS
centromere. HAPLOID – they contain only half of the
number of chromosomes (n).
ANAPHASE II DIPLOID – contains two sets of
chromosomes (2n).
➢ Centromeres divide and sister
chromatids are individually pulled apart, Humans : diploid chromosome number is 46
then move to opposite poles of the cell. The sex cells produced in meiosis are haploid
cells.
TELOPHASE II
Zygote – diploid two sets of chromosomes one
➢ Nuclear envelope forms around each from the father one from the mother.
set of chromosomes at opposite ends of
the cell. Spermatogenesis
➢ The spindle fiber breaks down and the - A process wherein sperm cells in the testis are
cell undergoes cytokinesis. formed.
➢ The result of meiosis is four haploid cells
with a recombination of the Oogenesis
chromosomes both from the mother - A process wherein egg cells are formed in the
and father. ovary.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MITOSIS AND MEIOSIS Meiosis is important to reduce the number of
chromosomes from diploid (2n=46) to haploid
(n=23).

The reduction in the number of chromosomes is

essential in order to restore the chromosome
number once a sperm unites with an egg
during fertilization.
Without meiosis, the chromosome number of
the body cells will double in each generation,
which may lead to abnormalities in a given AUTOSOMES
population. Chromosomes associated with genes not
Maintaining the correct number of directly related to sex of an organism.
chromosomes ensures the survival of the Chromosome pairs 1 to 22
organism.
SEX CHROMOSOMES
All cells in your body have specialized functions Chromosomes that are directly linked to the
2 major groups: development of sexual characteristics of an
Somatic cells or body cells –body tissues and organism
organs 23rd pair
Germ cells – sex cells or gametes
➢ Humans have two different
DNA with your traits cannot be passed on to chromosomes, known as the X and Y
your future children through the body cells chromosomes.
The way by which traits can be transmitted to
your future offspring is through the germ cells, ➢ Humans use the XY system to determine
which are produced in your sex organs: the the gender.
ovaries and the testes.
Sperm cell and egg cell XX – female
XY – male
DNA in the sex cells are used to transmit traits
to future generations ➢ The X and Y chromosomes, although
paired at the 23rd set, are not
FRUIT FLIES – 8 chromosomes or 4 pairs homologous.
Fern species – Ophioglossum – 1260 ➢ The X chromosome is larger containing
chromosomes more genes and other unrelated ones
Your body cells have 46 chromosomes or 23 to sexual characteristics
pairs ➢ The Y chromosome, on the other hand,
This number is maintained all the time in the life is the smallest chromosome, containing
cycle of humans. few genes responsible for direct
development of testis and other male
HOMOLOGOUS CHROMOSOMES sexual characteristics.
➢ A human haploid egg or sperm cell
-Refer to a set of chromosomes having the
contains 22 autosomes and one sex
same length and appearance that was
chromosome.
inherited from the parents.
➢ Sperm cell’s sex chromosome can either
be an X or a Y chromosome.
-Contain copies of the same gene coding for a
trait, but they are not completely identical as
they come from two sources.

KARYOTYPING

Arranged chromosomes can be done in the

process called karyotyping. Assigned a
number to each pair of homologous
chromosomes according to their size from
largest to smallest