Meiosis Test Part One: Simple Stuff

Question 1

Somatic cell

Answer 1

Any cell of a living organism other than the reproductive cells

Question 2

Germ cell

Answer 2

A cell containing half the number of chromosomes of a somatic cell and able to unite with one from the opposite sex to form gamete
An embryonic cell with the potential of developing into a gamete

Question 3

Gamete

Answer 3

Mature haploid cells produced by meiosis II or germ cell, able to form a zygote from fertilization
Sex cell

Question 4

Fertilization

Answer 4

The process of fertilizing an egg, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote

Question 5

Zygote

Answer 5

A fertilized egg (was a gamete) undergoes mitosis and eventually forms a new organism

Question 6

Meiosis

Answer 6

A process in which the number of chromosomes per cell is cut in half through the separation of homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell

Question 7

Crossing over

Answer 7

The chromatids of the homologous chromosomes cross over each other. The crossed sections of the chromatids are then exchanged. Produces new variations of alleles in the cell - genes

Question 8

Meiosis I results in

Answer 8

Two daughter cells.
Because each pair of homologous chromosomes was separated, neither daughter cell has two complete sets of chromosomes (unlike a diploid cell)

The daughter cells have sets of chromosomes and alleles different from each other and from the diploid cell that entered meiosis I

Question 9

Main differences between meiosis and mitosis

Answer 9

Replication and separation of genetic material
Changes in chromosome number
Number of cell divisions

Question 10

Replication and separation of genetic material

Answer 10

In mitosis, the two sets of genetic material separate, each daughter cells receives a complete set of chromosomes.
In meiosis, homologous chromosomes line up and move to separated haploid daughter cells, resulting in a greater variety of possible gene combinations

Question 11

Changes in chromosome number

Answer 11

Mitosis does not change the chromosome number of the original cell
Meiosis reduces the chromosome number by half

Question 12

Number of cell divisions

Answer 12

Mitosis results in the production of two genetically identical diploid cells, whereas meiosis produces four genetically different haploid cells

Question 13

Alleles

Answer 13

One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome

Question 14

Stem cells

Answer 14

Unspecialized cells

Question 15

Independent assortment

Answer 15

alleles of two (or more) different genes get sorted into gametes independently of one another.
In other words, the allele a gamete receives for one gene does not influence the allele received for another gene. Creating a greater likelihood for genetic variation

Question 16

Homologous chromosomes in mitosis

Answer 16

Prior to every single mitotic division a cell undergoes, the chromosomes in the parent cell replicate themselves.
The homologous chromosomes within the cell will not pair up and undergo genetic recombination with each other.
Instead, the replicants, or sister chromatids, will line up then separate by being pulled apart at their centromeres by nuclear mitotic spindles.