What is Meiosis?
Meiosis is the process by which a single cell
is divided twice into four cells by containing half of the genetic
information or chromosome of the parent cell and thus are haploid in
nature. These cells are none other than our sex cells or gametes– sperm
in males and eggs in females.
Meiosis occurs over the course of two rounds of nuclear divisions termed as meiosis I and meiosis II
according to Nature Education’s Scitable. Furthermore, meiosis I and meiosis II are each divided into 4 major subcategories. Prophase,
metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Meiosis I is responsible for
Creating genetically unique chromosomes where sister chromatids pair up
with homologous and exchange genetic material with one another. At the
end of the division, one parent cell produces two daughter cells, each
carrying one set of sister chromatids.
Meiosis II is similar to mitosis. The two daughter cells move into this phase without any further chromosome duplication. The sister chromatids are pulled apart during this division that finally results into a total of four haploid daughter cells during the course of meiosis II.