Meiosis and terminology

• Chromatin network: intertwined DNA strand only visible during interphase
• chromosome: condensed piece of DNA can be single or double stranded

  
• Chromatid: formed after DNA replication (two per chromosome)

  
• Centromere: joins two chromatids

  
• Synapsis: when homologous pairs move towards each other
• Bivalent: when homologous pairs are touching

  
• Chiasmata: point at which homologous pairs touch
• Locus: gene location

  
• centrioles: organelles that grow spindle fibres
• spindle fibre: thread that pulls chromatids / bivalent apart
• recombinant chromosome: when homologous chromosomes exchange genes and become different

  
• crossing over: where homologous pairs exchange genes to increase variation