Meiosis + Mitosis

• Meiosis

  The process that forms gametes (sex cells) with half the genetic material of a normal cell
• Gametes

  Sex cells like sperm and egg cells that contain half the genetic material of a normal cell (haploid)
• Diploid cells


  Cells with two sets of genetic information, one from each parent
• Meiosis

  1. Replication of chromosomes

  2. Alignment of chromosome pairs

  3. Separation of chromosome pairs

  4. Cell division into 4 genetically unique cells
• Chromosomes

  • 23 different types in humans
  • Each type has 2 copies, one from each parent (maternal and paternal)
• The left-to-right order of the aligned chromosome pairs is random during meiosis
• The 4 cells produced by meiosis are genetically unique due to random distribution of maternal and paternal chromosomes
• Sperm cells and egg cells

  The gametes produced by meiosis in males and females respectively
• Fusion of sperm and egg during fertilization

  Forms a diploid cell that can divide by mitosis to form an embryo, fetus and organism
• Mitosis is asexual whereas meiosis is sexual