Inheritance: Meiosis and Fertilisation

Question 1

What is meiosis?

Answer 1

• Takes place only in reproductive organs: Testes (males) and Ovaries (Females).

Stages:

1) All chromosomes are copied.
2) Cell divides into 2.
3) Both of these cells divide one more time to form Gametes (Chromosomes are singled and not paired and Meiosis has half the number of chromosomes).
- Produces 4 Gametes from the original cell which are genetically different.

Question 2

What is fertilisation?

Answer 2

In Sexual reproduction:

• Male and Female Gamete join together.
• Fertilisation.
• Cell now has a normal number of chromosomes.

Question 3

What happens after fertilisation?

Answer 3

• New cell divides by mitosis producing many identical cells.
• Embryo.
• After the embryo develops, the cells differentiate forming different cell types.
  E.g: Nerve and muscle cells.