What kind of cells are produced in meiosis

Meiosis is a process where a single cell divides twice to produce four cells containing half the original amount of genetic information. These cells are our sex cells — sperm in males, eggs in females. Cells are the basic building blocks of living things. The human body is composed of trillions of cells, all with their own specialised function. A stem cell is a cell with the unique ability to develop into specialised cell types in the body. In the future they may be used to replace cells and tissues that have been damaged or lost due to disease.

If you have any other comments or suggestions, please let us know at comment yourgenome. Can you spare minutes to tell us what you think of this website? Open survey. In: Facts In the Cell. In metaphase individual chromosomes pairs of chromatids line up along the equator. If you have any other comments or suggestions, please let us know at comment yourgenome.

Can you spare minutes to tell us what you think of this website? Open survey. In: Facts In the Cell. During meiosis one cell divides twice to form four daughter cells. These four daughter cells only have half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell — they are haploid. Meiosis produces our sex cells or gametes eggs in females and sperm in males. These are divided between the first time the cell divides meiosis I and the second time it divides meiosis II : Meiosis I 1.

Interphase: The DNA in the cell is copied resulting in two identical full sets of chromosomes. Outside of the nucleus are two centrosomes, each containing a pair of centrioles, these structures are critical for the process of cell division. During interphase, microtubules extend from these centrosomes. Prophase I: The copied chromosomes condense into X-shaped structures that can be easily seen under a microscope.

Each chromosome is composed of two sister chromatids containing identical genetic information. The chromosomes pair up so that both copies of chromosome 1 are together, both copies of chromosome 2 are together, and so on.

The pairs of chromosomes may then exchange bits of DNA in a process called recombination or crossing over. At the end of Prophase I the membrane around the nucleus in the cell dissolves away, releasing the chromosomes. The meiotic spindle, consisting of microtubules and other proteins, extends across the cell between the centrioles.

Metaphase I: The chromosome pairs line up next to each other along the centre equator of the cell. The centrioles are now at opposites poles of the cell with the meiotic spindles extending from them. The meiotic spindle fibres attach to one chromosome of each pair. Anaphase I: The pair of chromosomes are then pulled apart by the meiotic spindle, which pulls one chromosome to one pole of the cell and the other chromosome to the opposite pole.

In meiosis I the sister chromatids stay together. This is different to what happens in mitosis and meiosis II. Telophase I and cytokinesis: The chromosomes complete their move to the opposite poles of the cell. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in the parent cell by half and produces four gamete cells.

This process is required to produce egg and sperm cells for sexual reproduction. During reproduction, when the sperm and egg unite to form a single cell, the number of chromosomes is restored in the offspring.

Meiosis begins with a parent cell that is diploid, meaning it has two copies of each chromosome. The parent cell undergoes one round of DNA replication followed by two separate cycles of nuclear division.

The process results in four daughter cells that are haploid, which means they contain half the number of chromosomes of the diploid parent cell. Meiosis has both similarities to and differences from mitosis, which is a cell division process in which a parent cell produces two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis begins following one round of DNA replication in cells in the male or female sex organs. The process is split into meiosis I and meiosis II, and both meiotic divisions have multiple phases. Meiosis I is a type of cell division unique to germ cells, while meiosis II is similar to mitosis.

Meiosis I, the first meiotic division, begins with prophase I. During prophase I, the complex of DNA and protein known as chromatin condenses to form chromosomes.