Meiosis • The division of sex cells (gametes) • Conserves the number of chromosomes • Without meiosis, the number of chromosomes in a species would double with each generation • Meoisis occurs in similar stages to mitosis, but has two distinct parts (2 divisions) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1_­mQS_FZ0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVMb4Js99tA Meiosis I all about homologues Prophase I • homologous pairs of chromosomes join to form a tetrad, and to CROSSING OVER exchange parts of chromosomes occurs Metaphase I • tetrads line up along the middle of the cell Anaphase I • homologous pairs separate and move to opposite ends of the cell • sister chromatids remain together • this is called Independent Assortment Telophase I • two daughter cells are produced • each daughter cell has 1/2 the number of chromatids in the original cell (from 4 chromatids to two chromatids in each new cell) • this is the Reduction Division Crossing­Over Click to go back The exchange of parts of non­sister chromatids from homologous chromosomes. The forming of the tetrad and process of crossing over is known as synapsis. Independent Assortment Click to go back • in meiosis I, the homologous pair separate, but with no pattern.... Daughter cells like this, This mother cell could divide to give.... ...OR daughter cells like this! Meiosis I: the Reduction Division Mother cell has already replicated DNA, so each chromosome has a sister chromatid. Homologous pairs make tetrads. Daughter cells are haploid (n) because they have only one copy of each chromosome. one maternal or one paternal Click to go back It is diploid (2n) because it has two copies of each one chromosome. maternal, one homologous paternal chromosomes separate sister chromatids are still together Meiosis II Prophase II • very brief Metaphase II • sister chromatids line up along the equator Anaphase II • sister chromatids separate Telophase II • four new cells are produced • each new cell has half the number of chromosomes as a somatic cell • each cell is haploid because it contains only one copy of each chromosome all about sister chromatids Terms to know: drag the term to its definition synapsis • when homologues join to form a tetrad centromere • the sticky region that holds two sister chromatids together chromosomes • structures stored in the nucleus that code the instructions to form each new cell diploid • two copies of each chromosome gametes • reproductive cells crossing over • process during which non-sister chromatids exchange genetic information homologous chromosomes • similar chromosomes that form pairs, one from your mother and one from your father sister chromatids • two parts of a double-stranded chromosome that have identical instructions parent cell • the original cell that will divide to form two new cells daughter cell • a new cell produced through cell division of a parent cell mutations • errors in mitosis or DNA replication that can result in damaged cells haploid • only one copy of each chromosome Getting it straight: Sister chromatids and homologous chromosomes Consider chromosomes as they appear, short and thick, in metaphase every chromosome exists in two forms; these are homologous chromosomes (1 form is maternal, 1 form is paternal) but you could have been....