Meiosis

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
 The form of cell division by which
GAMETES, with HALF the number of
CHROMOSOMES, are produced.
 DIPLOID (2n)  HAPLOID (n)
 Meiosis is SEXUAL reproduction.
 TWO divisions (MEIOSIS I and MEIOSIS
II).
 Meiosis
 Sex cells divide to produce GAMETES
(sperm or egg).
 Gametes have HALF the # of
chromosomes.
 Occurs only in GONADS (testes or ovaries).
 Male: SPERMATOGENESIS -sperm

 Female: OOGENESIS - egg or ova

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
Spermatogenesis
n=23
human
sex cell sperm
n=23
n=23

2n=46

n=23
diploid (2n) n=23
haploid (n)

n=23

Meiosis I Meiosis II
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Oogenesis
Haploid
n=23 (1n)
human egg
sex cell
n=23

2n=46 Polar
Bodies
(die)
diploid (2n) n=23

Meiosis I Meiosis II
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• 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

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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

YES / NO
Chromosomes Crossing over of genes

Growth, repair; development of adult Production of gametes:

Function/Importance from zygote eggs and sperm
Meiosis I and II
 Interphase I
 Similar to mitosis interphase.
 CHROMOSOMES (DNA) replicate in the S phase
 Each duplicated chromosome consist of two identical
SISTER CHROMATIDS attached at their CENTROMERES.
 CENTRIOLE pairs also replicate.

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 Interphase I

 Nucleus and nucleolus visible.

chromatin Nucleus

cell
membrane
nucleolus

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 Meiosis I (four phases)

 Cell division that reduces the chromosome number

by one-half.
 Four phases:
a. Prophase I
b. Metaphase I
c. Anaphase I
d. Telophase I Prophase I

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 Prophase I
 Longest and most complex phase
(90%).
 Chromosomes condense.
 Synapsis occurs - Homologous
chromosomes come together
to form a tetrad.
 Tetrad is two chromosomes
or four chromatids (sister and non-
sister chromatids).
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 Non-Sister Chromatids-
HOMOLOGS
•Homologs contain DNA that
codes for the same genes , but
different versions of those genes

•Genes occur at the same loci

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 Late Prophase I - Synapsis
Homologous chromosomes

sister chromatids sister chromatids

Tetrad 32
Homologous Chromosomes
 Pair of chromosomes (maternal and paternal) that
are similar in shape and size.
 Homologous pairs (tetrads) carry GENES
controlling the SAME inherited traits.
 Each locus (position of a gene) is in the same
position on homologues. LOCI
 Humans have 23 pairs of homologous
chromosomes:
a. First 22 pairs of autosomes
b. Last pair of sex chromosomes

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Homologous Chromosomes

eye color eye color

locus locus

hair color hair color

locus locus

Paternal Maternal
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 Crossing Over
 Crossing over may occur between non-
sister chromatids at sites called chiasmata.
 Crossing over: segments of nonsister
chromatids break and reattach to the
other chromatid.
 Chiasmata (chiasma) are where
chromosomes touch each other and
exchange genes (crossing over.)
 Causes Genetic Recombination

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 Genetic Recombination
nonsister chromatids Tetrad

chiasmata: site variation 36

of crossing over
37
 Sex Chromosomes

XX chromosome - female XY chromosome - male

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 Prophase I
• Nucleus & Nucleolus disappear
• Spindle forms
• Chromosomes coil & Synapsis (pairing) occurs
• Tetrads form & Crossing over Occurs
spindle fiber
centrioles
aster
fibers

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TETRAD
Slides for Meiosis I & II:

Prophase I
 Metaphase I
• Shortest phase
• Tetrads align on the equator.
• Independent assortment occurs – chromosomes separate
randomly causing GENETIC RECOMBINATION

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 Metaphase I

OR

Homologous chromosomes line up at

equator or metaphase plate
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Metaphase I:
 Formula: 2n
 Example: 2n = 4
then 1n = 2
thus 22 = 4
combinations

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Question:
 In terms of Independent
Assortment -how many different
combinations of sperm could a
human male produce?

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 Answer

 Formula: 2n
 Human chromosomes: 2n = 46
 n = 23
 223 = ~8 million combinations

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 Anaphase I
 Homologous chromosomes separate
and move towards the poles.
 Sister chromatids remain attached at
their centromeres.

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 Anaphase I

Homologous chromosomes separate/

move apart 48
Anaphase I:
 Telophase I

 Each pole now has haploid (1n) set of

chromosomes.
 Cytokinesis occurs and two haploid
daughter cells are formed.

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Telophase I

cytokinesis

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Telophase I:
 Meiosis II

 No Interphase II or very short

 No DNA Replication
 Remember: Meiosis II is similar to mitosis

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 Prophase II
 Same as Prophase in mitosis
 Nucleus & nucleolus disappear
 Chromosomes condense
 Spindle forms

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Prophase II:
 Metaphase II

• Same as Metaphase in mitosis

Chromosomes (not homologs) line up at equator

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Metaphase II:
 Anaphase II

 Same as Anaphase in mitosis

 SISTER CHROMATIDS separate/ move apart

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Anaphase II:
 Telophase II
 Same as Telophase in mitosis.
 Nuclei and Nucleoli reform, spindle disappears
 CYTOKINESIS occurs.
 Remember: FOUR HAPLOID
DAUGHTER cells are produced.
 Called GAMETES (eggs and sperm)

1n Sperm cell fertilizes 1n

egg to form 2n zygote

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Telophase II:
Telophase II

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63
Prophase I
Metaphase I Anaphase I

Telophase I
Prophase II
Meiosis 2nd division:
like mitosis with haploid set
4 Haploid cells Gametes
 Final result

Mitosis :
two genetically identical diploid cells
from one diploid parent cell

Meiosis :
Four genetically different haploid cells
from one diploid parent cell
 Variation
 Also known as GENETIC RECOMBINATION
 Important to population as the raw material for
NATURAL SELECTION.
 All organisms are NOT alike
 Strongest “most fit” survive to reproduce &
pass on traits

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Question:

 What are the 3 sources of genetic

recombination or variation?

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Answer:

1. CROSSING OVER (prophase I)

2. INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT
(metaphase I)
3. RANDOM FERTILIZATION

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Question:

 A cell containing 20 chromosomes

(diploid) at the beginning of meiosis
would, at its completion, produce cells
containing how many chromosomes?

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Answer:

 10 chromosomes (haploid or 1n)

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 Fertilization
 The fusion of a sperm and egg to form a
zygote.
 A zygote is a FERTILIZED EGG

sperm
n=23 n=23
egg
2n=46
zygote
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Question:

 A cell containing 40 chromatids at the

beginning of meiosis would, at its
completion, produce cells containing
how many chromosomes?

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 Answer:

 10 chromosomes

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