Cell Division – Meiosis

Chromosomes are DNA!

• Chromosomes contain genetic information
Cell Division – Mitosis (Review)
– Division of a somatic cell that results in 2 genetically
identical daughter cells
• Cells must divide for growth, repair of tissues, and
asexual reproduction
• Cell division begins in Interphase when the
chromosomes duplicate
 Chromosomes
Parent cell duplicate 2 new daughter
cells identical to
parent cell

• Daughter cells are genetically identical to parent cell –

same kind and number of chromosomes
• Mitosis occurs in somatic or body cells
Ex: liver, heart, skin, stomach
• Every organism has its own unique number of
chromosomes. Humans have 46.
This is called its diploid number or the total number of
chromosomes in a somatic cell.
Diploid means “2 sets” and is written as “2N”.
• Body cells of adult organisms have 2 sets of
homologous (matching) chromosomes – 1 set from
female parent and 1 set from male parent
Cell Division –Meiosis
– the process in which the number of chromosomes in the
original cell is reduced by HALF through the separation of
homologous chromosomes
• Meiosis occurs in sex organs only
• Males (XY) – sex organs are the testes in humans
• Females (XX) – sex organs are the ovaries in humans
• Meiosis also occurs in the sex organs of other
animals, plants, fungi, etc…
Meiosis

Mitosis
 Meiosis
Division 2

Division 1
Chromosomes
duplicate Daughter cells
have half as
many
chromosomes
Parent
as parent cell
cell
Meiosis produces sex cells –
cells with ½ the number of
chromosomes as the original
cell
• Males – meiosis produces
4 sperm
• Females – meiosis
produces 1 (viable) egg
The other 3 cells are
called polar bodies – they
give up their cytoplasm to
nourish the 1 good egg.
• Egg and sperm (sex cells)
are also called gametes
• Gametes have ½ the number of chromosomes as
somatic (body) cells. We call this the haploid number.
Haploid means “1 set” and is written as “N”.
If human diploid number is 46, what is its haploid
number? 23
Diploid # of a dog – 78 Haploid # of a dog – 39
Diploid # of a fly – 8 Haploid # of a fly – 4
• When does meiosis occur in humans?
1. Males beginning at puberty
2. Females before birth – all eggs are produced before
birth and at puberty eggs mature
Chromosome Number
• Remember, chromosome number is unique to each
kind of organism and all cells (except sex cells) in an
organism have the same kind and number of
chromosomes.
Ex: All humans have 46 chromosomes and all cells in
the human body (except sperm and egg) have 46
chromosomes.
• This is why the chromosome number in sex cells must
be reduced in half by meiosis
Ex: Humans have 46 chromosomes in their somatic
cells, but 23 chromosomes in their sex cells
(egg and sperm)
WRONG!!!
 Zygote develops into
embryo and finally adult
organism by mitosis
23
Fertilized egg –
zygote

46

23

Fertilization – process by which an egg and sperm unite

Zygote – fertilized egg
Embryo – organism in early stage of development
• Without meiosis …………

46 Fertilized egg –
zygote

92

46
Unique events in Meiosis
• Homologous (matching) chromosomes pair up before 1st
cell division
Homologous chromosomes:
-look alike
-code for same traits
-receive one from each parent
• During 1st division, homologous chromosomes exchange
genes during process called “crossing over”

• These homologous chromosomes separate during 2nd

division of meiosis – so chromosomes in gametes are
different from each other due to crossing over
• Crossing over increases genetic variation and is the
reason why siblings look different
No crossing over
– daughter cells
are identical to
parent cells

Crossing over
occurs –causes
genetic variation
(Daughter cells
are NOT identical
to parent cell)
Comparing Mitosis and Meiosis
 Mitosis Meiosis

Male (XY) = Sperm

What kind of cells? Somatic cells Female (XX) = Egg Sex Cells
Male (XY) = puberty
When does this occur? Any time
Female (XX) = before birth
# of Divisions
(Draw picture) 1 2

Male (XY) = 4 sperm

# of Daughter cells 2
Female (XX) = 1 viable egg
Same as parent cell Half as many as parent cell
# of Chromosomes diploid or 2N haploid or N
In humans 46 In humans 23

Type of Reproduction Asexual Sexual

Daughter cells
Daughter cells
identical / not identical
Genetic Composition identical / not identical
to parent cell
to parent cell
Genetic variation

Pairing of Homologous YES / NO

Chromosomes YES / NO
Crossing over of genes

Growth, repair; development of adult Production of gametes:

Function/Importance
from zygote eggs and sperm