Topic 3 - The Importance Of Mitosis Flashcards
What is the primary purpose of meiosis?
To produce haploid gametes (sperm and egg cells)
Gametes have only one copy of each chromosome.
How many non-identical cells does meiosis produce from one cell?
Four non-identical cells
This is a key distinction from mitosis, which produces identical cells.
What is the chromosome number in gametes produced by meiosis?
23 chromosomes
Gametes are haploid, meaning they have half the chromosome number of diploid cells.
What happens to the chromosome number during the first division of meiosis?
The cell divides into two cells, each with half the amount of chromosomes (46)
This is the reduction from diploid to haploid.
What occurs during the second division of meiosis?
The cell divides again producing four cells, each with a quarter the amount of chromosomes (23)
This results in the formation of gametes.
Why are the gametes produced by meiosis genetically different from each other?
Because the chromosomes are shuffled during the process
This shuffling results in random chromosomes ending up in each of the four cells.
What occurs at fertilization involving gametes?
Gametes with 23 chromosomes join to produce a cell with 46 chromosomes
This restores the diploid number of chromosomes.
What process follows fertilization to produce many copies of the cell?
Mitosis
This process leads to the formation of an embryo.
What is the term for the process where cells begin to take on different roles after the formation of an embryo?
Differentiation
This is crucial for the development of specialized cell types.
