It allows for the transmission of virtually limitless combinations of genes from parent to offspring. The resulting gametes have 23 new chromosomes, one member of each of the 23 pairs, representing unique combinations of the original maternal and paternal copies.

At the end of mitosis, the two daughter cells will be exact copies of the original cell. Each daughter cell will have 30 chromosomes. At the end of meiosis II, each cell (i.e., gamete) would have half the original number of chromosomes, that is, 15 chromosomes.

23 chromosomes

Most organisms live their lives with two versions of every gene. They could be two identical alleles or two different alleles, but most organisms have two. But the gametes of those same organisms will only have one allele. This is the direct result of the process that creates gametes — the process of meiosis.

Why are no two gametes exactly alike genetically? No two gametes exactly alike genetically because each gamete has a different combination of parental chromosomes that is the result of both crossing over and independent assortment.)

The gametes produced in meiosis aren’t genetically identical to the starting cell, and they also aren’t identical to one another. The four gametes produced at the end of meiosis II are all slightly different, each with a unique combination of the genetic material present in the starting cell.

Homologous chromosomes have the same genes, though they may have different alleles. So, though homologous chromosomes are very similar, they are not identical. The homologous chromosomes are separated when gametes are formed. Therefore, gametes have only 23 chromosomes, not 23 pairs.

The number of different possible gametes produced by the diploid genotype (AaBbCcDdEe) is 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 32 (2 for each pair of heterozygous genes).

Mitosis creates two identical daughter cells that each contain the same number of chromosomes as their parent cell. In contrast, meiosis gives rise to four unique daughter cells, each of which has half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

haploid

four haploid daughter cells

Other mistakes that can occur during meiosis include translocation, in which part of one chromosome becomes attached to another, and deletion, in which part of one chromosome is lost entirely.

Meiosis takes place in the reproductive organs of the organism. For females, meiosis takes place in the ovaries, where the eggs are produced and…

Meiosis only occurs in reproductive cells, as the goal is to create haploid gametes that will be used in fertilization. Meiosis is important to, but not the same as, sexual reproduction. Meiosis is necessary for sexual reproduction to occur, as it results in the formation of gametes (sperm and eggs).

Although nearly all the different types of cells in your body can undergo mitosis, meiosis in human beings occurs only in cells that will become either eggs or sperm. So, in humans, mitosis is for growth and maintenance, while meiosis is for sexual reproduction.

While there are a few cells in the body that do not undergo cell division (such as gametes, red blood cells, most neurons, and some muscle cells), most somatic cells divide regularly.

Skin cells, red blood cells or gut lining cells cannot undergo mitosis. Stem cells do divide by mitosis and this makes them very important for replacing lost or damaged specialized cells. What is a stem cell? Stem cells are different from other cells of the body because stem cells can both: 1.

Mitosis is the process by which eukaryotic cells divide. You should remember from our study on cells that a eukaryotic cell contains a nucleus. Most of your cells are eukaryotic, so most of your cells –skin cells, lung cells, and stomach cells – — undergo mitosis.