Sexual and Asexual reproduction

• Chromosomes


  Genetic material in the nucleus of a cell
• Human cells


  • Contain 23 pairs of chromosomes
• Mitosis


  Cell division process that produces two identical daughter cells
• Gametes


  Reproductive cells with single (unpaired) chromosomes
• Human gametes


  • Sperm cells and egg cells
• Meiosis


  Cell division process that produces genetically different gametes
• Meiosis takes place in flowering plants to produce pollen and egg cells
• Sexual reproduction


  Involves the fusion of male and female gametes, mixing genetic information
• Fertilization


  The fusion of a sperm cell and an egg cell
• Sexual reproduction results in variation in the offspring
• Asexual reproduction


  Involves only one parent, no mixing of genetic information, produces genetically identical offspring (clones)
• Asexual reproduction does not involve gametes or meiosis, only mitosis
• Asexual reproduction in plants


  • Forming tiny buds that drop off and grow into new plants