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Producing Two Genetically Identical Daughter Cells

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Producing Two Genetically Identical Daughter Cells

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Mitosis is a form of asexual reproduction that produces two daughter cells, each genetically identical to the parent cell. It is essential for growth, tissue repair, and cell replacement in multicellular organisms.

Key Steps of Mitosis

1. Interphase – The cell grows, duplicates its DNA, and prepares for division.

2. Prophase – Chromosomes condense, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the spindle fibers form.

3. Metaphase – Chromosomes align at the metaphase plate in the center of the cell.

4. Anaphase – Sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles of the cell.

5. Telophase – The nuclear envelope reforms around the two sets of chromosomes.

6. Cytokinesis – The cytoplasm divides, forming two identical daughter cells, each with a complete set of chromosomes (diploid, 2n).

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Producing Four Genetically Unique Daughter Cells

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Producing Four Genetically Unique Daughter Cells

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Meiosis is a form of sexual reproduction that produces four genetically unique daughter cells (gametes—sperm or egg cells). These cells have half the DNA (haploid, n) required for a full organism and combine with another gamete during fertilization.

Key Steps of Meiosis (Occurs in Two Rounds: Meiosis I and Meiosis II)

Meiosis I (Reduction Division)

1. Prophase I – Homologous chromosomes pair up and undergo crossing over, which increases genetic variation.

2. Metaphase I – Homologous chromosome pairs align at the metaphase plate.

3. Anaphase I – Homologous chromosomes (not sister chromatids) are separated and move to opposite poles.

4. Telophase I & Cytokinesis – Two haploid cells form, each containing half the original chromosome number (n).

Meiosis II (Similar to Mitosis, but Without DNA Replication)

5. Prophase II – Spindle fibers reform in both haploid cells.

6. Metaphase II – Chromosomes align at the center of each cell.

7. Anaphase II – Sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles.

8. Telophase II & Cytokinesis – Four genetically unique haploid (n) daughter cells are formed.

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Mitosis creates two identical cells for growth and repair.

Meiosis creates four genetically unique gametes for reproduction.

Genetic diversity occurs in meiosis due to crossing over and independent assortment, but not in mitosis.

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How Chromosome Behavior in Meiosis Generates Variation

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How Chromosome Behavior in Meiosis Generates Variation

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The behavior of chromosomes during meiosis generates genetic variation through crossing over and independent assortment, contributing to genetic diversity in offspring.

1. Crossing Over (Prophase I):

During Prophase I, homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange genetic material by crossing at chiasmata points.

This recombination creates new combinations of alleles, increasing genetic diversity.

2. Independent Assortment (Metaphase I):

Homologous chromosome pairs align randomly at the metaphase plate during Metaphase I.

Each homologous pair segregates independently of others, meaning different combinations of maternal and paternal chromosomes are distributed to gametes.

This random alignment leads to Mendel’s Law of Independent Assortment, which states that genes for different traits are inherited independently if located on different chromosomes.

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This law explains that one trait's inheritance does not influence another's inheritance (assuming genes are unlinked).

For example, a pea plant inheriting a gene for flower color does not determine which gene it inherits for seed shape.

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Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., & Walter, P. (2022). Molecular biology of the cell (7th ed.). Garland Science.

Sadava, D., Hillis, D. M., Heller, H. C., & Berenbaum, M. R. (2021). Life: The science of biology (12th ed.). W. H. Freeman.

Raven, P. H., Johnson, G. B., Mason, K. A., Losos, J. B., & Singer, S. R. (2020). Biology (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill.