Meiosis

• Meiosis halves the number of chromosomes in gametes and fertilisation restores the full number of chromosomes
• Cells in reproductive organs divide by meiosis to form gametes
• When a cell divides to form gametes:

  • copies of the genetic information are made
  • the cell divides twice to form four gametes, each with a single set of chromosomes
  • all gametes are genetically different from one another
• Gametes join at fertilisation to restore the normal amount of chromosomes
• The new cell, from fertilisation, divides by mitosis. The number of cells increases. As the embryo develops cells differentiate