Meiosis

Human Genetic Lab-2-

Assist.lect. Dhoha farhan

Meiosis is a process where a single cell divides twice to produce four cells containing
half the original amount of genetic information. These cells are our sex cells – sperm in
males, eggs in females.
Meiosis take place in two sets of divisions:
- Meiosis I:- reduces the number of chromosomes from diploid to haploid
- Meiosis II :- produces four haploid daughter cells

Notes :-
1- only diploid cells can divide by meiosis.
2- prior to meiosis1, DNA replication occurs.
3-During meiosis, there will be nuclear divisions, and the result will be four haploid
nuclei.
4- No replication of DNA occurs between meiosis I and meiosis II.
 Meiosis I
1. Interphase:
The DNA in the cell is copied resulting in two identical full sets of
chromosomes.
• Prophase I
Chromosomes become visible, crossing-over occurs, the
nucleolus disappears, the meiotic spindle forms, and the nuclear
envelope disappears.
• At the start of prophase I, the chromosomes have already duplicated.
During prophase I, they coil and become shorter and thicker and visible
under the light microscope.
• The duplicated homologous chromosomes pair, and crossing-over (the
physical exchange of chromosome parts) occurs. Crossing-over is the
process that can give rise to genetic recombination. At this point, each
homologous chromosome pair is visible as a bivalent (tetrad), a tight
grouping of two chromosomes, each consisting of two sister chromatids.
The sites of crossing-over are seen as crisscrossed nonsister chromatids and
are called chiasmata (singular: chiasma).
• The nucleolus disappears during prophase I.
• In the cytoplasm, the meiotic spindle, consisting of microtubules and other
proteins, forms between the two pairs of centrioles as they migrate to
opposite poles of the cell.
• The nuclear envelope disappears at the end of prophase I, allowing the
spindle to enter the nucleus.
• Prophase I is the longest phase of meiosis, typically consuming 90% of the
time for the two divisions.
• Meiosis I: Metaphase I
• The pairs of chromosomes (bivalents) become arranged on the metaphase
plate and are attached to the now fully formed meiotic spindle.
• The centrioles are at opposite poles of the cell.
• Spindle fibers from one pole of the cell attach to one chromosome of each pair
(seen as sister chromatids), and spindle fibers from the opposite pole attach to the
homologous chromosome (again, seen as sister chromatids).
• Meiosis I: Anaphase I
• The two chromosomes in each bivalent separate and migrate toward opposite
poles.
• Notice that in anaphase I the sister chromatids remain attached at their centromeres
and move together toward the poles. A key difference between mitosis and meiosis
is that sister chromatids remain joined after metaphase in meiosis I, whereas in
mitosis they separate.

•
• Meiosis I: Telophase I
• The homologous chromosome pairs reach the poles of the cell, nuclear envelopes
form around them, and cytokinesis follows to produce two cells.
• The homologous chromosome pairs complete their migration to the two poles as a result
of the action of the spindle. Now a haploid set of chromosomes is at each pole, with each
chromosome still having two chromatids.
• A nuclear envelope reforms around each chromosome set, the spindle disappears, and
cytokinesis follows.
• Meiosis II: Prophase II
• Meiosis II begins without any further replication of the chromosomes. In prophase
II, the nuclear envelope breaks down and the spindle apparatus forms.
• While chromosome duplication took place prior to meiosis I, no new chromosome
replication occurs before meiosis II.
• Meiosis II: Metaphase II
• The chromosomes become arranged on the metaphase plate, much as the chromosomes
do in mitosis, and are attached to the now fully formed spindle.
• Each of the daughter cells completes the formation of a spindle apparatus.
• Single chromosomes align on the metaphase plate, much as chromosomes do in mitosis. This
is in contrast to metaphase I, in which homologous pairs of chromosomes align on the
metaphase plate.
• For each chromosome, the kinetochores of the sister chromatids face the opposite poles, and
each is attached to a kinetochore microtubule coming from that pole.
• Meiosis II: Anaphase II
• The centromeres separate and the sister chromatids—now individual
chromosomes—move toward the opposite poles of the cell.
• The centromeres separate, and the two chromatids of each
chromosome move to opposite poles on the spindle. The
separated chromatids are now called chromosomes in their own
right.
• Meiosis II: Telophase II
• A nuclear envelope forms around each set of chromosomes and cytokinesis
occurs, producing four daughter cells, each with a haploid set of
chromosomes.
• A nuclear envelope forms around each set of chromosomes.
• Cytokinesis takes place, producing four daughter cells (gametes, in animals),
each with a haploid set of chromosomes.
• Because of crossing-over, some chromosomes are seen to have recombined
segments of the original parental chromosomes.