Meiosis Flashcards
What is meiosis?
It produces haploid cells with genetic material for sexual reproduction.
What does diploid mean?
There are two copies of every chromosome, maternal and paternal.
What does haploid mean?
One copy of each chromosome.
What is a gamete?
A sperm or egg cell.
What is a zygote?
When two gametes fuse.
What happens in meiosis 1?
The homologous chromosomes segregate.
What happens in meiosis 2?
The sister chromatids segregate.
What is homologous recombination?
When the maternal and paternal DNA mixes up.
When does homologous recombination occur?
In the first round of meiosis.
What are the phases in meiosis 1?
Interphase, prophase, metaphase 1, anaphase 1 and telophase 1.
What happens in meiosis 2?
Interphase 2, metaphase 2, anaphase 2, telophase 2 and cytokinesis.
What are the stages in prophase 1?
Leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene and diakinesis.
What happens in leptotene?
There is condensation of sister chromatids - they look like thin threads.
What happens in zygotene?
When homologous chromosomes pair up.
What happens in pachytene?
When pairing is complete and homologous chromosomes begin to exchange genetic material.
What happens in diplotene?
When pairing becomes less tight and sister chromatid pairs are visible and there is evidence of crossing over.
What happens in diakinesis?
The chromatid pairs begin to separate and the nuclear envelope breaks down and spindle forms.
How do chromosomes pair?
Via complementary DNA sequences.
What is synapsis?
When two pairs of sister chromatids form a four-chromosome bivalent.
What is a synaptonemal complex?
When two pairs of sister chromatids form a four-chromosome bivalent.