Chapter 2.7 Meiotic Division

CELLS &
MICROORGANISMS
CHAPTER 2.7 Meiotic Division
DIPLOID CELLS
 Diploid cells = contain a full set of chromosomes (2n)
 All human cells are diploid cells (except sperm and ova/eggs).
 The pairs of chromosomes = homologous chromosomes.
 Homologous chromosomes are characterised by the following:
1. In diploid cells, chromosomes exist in pairs. Each chromosome in the
pair are the same size.
2. Homologous chromosomes consist of a maternal chromosome and Maternal
a Chromosome Paternal Chromosome
paternal chromosome.
3. In homologous chromosomes the centromere of each chromosome is
located in a similar position
4. At corresponding positions on each member of the pair, genes code for
the same characteristic. Although they code for the same characteristic,
they may be different forms (alleles) of the same gene. An individual may
have a maternal chromosome with an allele that codes for brown eyes but
the be paternal chromosome has an allele that codes for blue eyes. The
combined expression of these 2 alleles in the individual will determine eye
colour. In this case, the eyes will be brown (brown is dominant to blue).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfmD6yMXRG0
DIPLOID CELLS
Human diploid cells (body cells) contain 46

chromosomes or 23 pairs of chromosomes;
22 pairs of homologous chromosomes and
one pair of sex chromosomes
Sex chromosomes in female = XX

Sex chromosomes in male = XY
HAPLOID CELLS
 Haploid cells = contain half of a full set of
chromosomes (n)
 Sex cells (sperm and ova) = gametes
 Sperm and ova (eggs) do not carry a full set of

chromosomes. These cells have one chromosome
from each homologous pair.
 Human gametes carry 23 chromosomes
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB_8dTuh73c
Meiotic Division
 Meiotic division involves both the process of meiosis (two nuclear divisions) and cytokinesis (two divisions of the cytosol).
 The main purpose of meiotic division is to produce sperm in males and eggs in females that are haploid cells.
 These haploid cells will only have half the number of chromosomes as the somatic cells; only one member of each
homologous pair.
 The diploid number is restored in the process of fertilisation where a sperm fuses with an egg cell (ovum).
 Meiotic division occurs in the testes and ovaries of humans and most other animals and in the flowers or cones of most plants.
Sperm + Egg → Zygote
Haploid (n) Haploid (n) Diploid (2n)

Only one of each pair of homologous chromosomes Both pairs of homologous chromosomes
Meiotic Division
 The term ‘germline cell’ is often used to describe cells that have the capacity to divide by meiotic division and give rise to
gametes. Any cells along this pathway are said to be on the ‘germline’.
 The meiosis part of meiotic division can be divided into 2 main stages called Meiosis I and Meiosis II. Each of these 2
stages are then subdivided into 4 phases, so that a complete meiotic division results in 4 haploid cells.
 Prior to meiosis, the chromatin undergoes DNA replication.
MEIOSIS STAGE 1
 Prophase 1
• Chromosomes condense (coil up) and are visible, each consisting of
identical sister chromatids.
• Spindle formation.
• Homologous chromosomes pair up, forming a bivalent, and a process
called crossing over occurs.
• The nuclear membrane breaks down and disappears.
 Metaphase I
• The pairs of the homologous chromosomes (bivalents) are moved to
the equator of the cell.
• The homologous pairs have been randomly arranged at the equator and
assort independently (independent assortment).
 Anaphase 1
• A chromosome of each pair goes to each pole of the cell.
• Telophase I
• Chromosomes arrive at the poles of the cell and the spindle breaks
down and disappears. The end results of meiosis I is that 2 haploid cells
are formed.
MEIOSIS STAGE II
 Prophase II
• New spindle is formed, but replication has not occurred.
 Metaphase II
• The chromosomes, each consisting of 2 identical sister chromatids, are
attached to the spindle fibres and moved to the equator.
 Anaphase II
• The sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated and moved to
opposite poles.
 Telophase II
• Spindle fibres disappear
• Nuclear membrane re-forms
• Nucleolus becomes visible
• Chromosomes elongate (de-condense), forming chromatin and are no
longer visible as separate structures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPBSsGqTC8I
 The chromosome number of sexually reproducing species is kept https://essentialseducation.com.au/online-resources/ecv-meiosis/
constant from one generation to the next. In summary: meiotic
division is the reduction division; from diploid to haploid and then if https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16enC385R0w
fertilisation occurs, the diploid state is restored.
SOURCES OF GENETIC VARIATION
IN SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
 The offspring of organisms that reproduces sexually look different from both parents even though
they share certain features.
 The main sources of variation are:
• Crossing over during Prophase I of meiosis.
• The independent assortment of the homologous chromosomes during Metaphase I.
• Fertilisation, which restores the diploid number when a sperm and its unique genetic profile fuses
with an ovum.
CROSSING OVER
 In Prophase I of meiosis, the homologous
chromosomes, each consisting of 2 identical
sister chromatids, lie next to each other
(synapsis).
 The non-sister chromatids are in contact at a
number of points called chiasmata.
 The chromosomes that show different
combinations of genes as a result of crossing
over are called recombinant chromosomes, or
simply recombinants.
 Crossing-over produces new combinations of
maternal and paternal genes and thus genetic
diversity in the possible gametes formed.
CROSSING OVER
INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT
 Independent assortment occurs during Metaphase I when the
homologous pairs of chromosomes (maternal and paternal) move to
the equator and line up randomly (independent).
 There is an equal chance for a maternal chromosome to be on the
left or right side.
 Possibility 1 and possibility 2 represent the 2 ways that are possible
for the chromosomes to line up and as a consequence, which
combinations of chromosomes will end up in the final gametes
(assortment).
 The mathematical representation for the number of possible
combinations is 2n where ‘n’ equals the number of homologous Figure 279 shows an example of an imaginary organism
pairs in the organism. As such, humans with 23 pairs of where the diploid number (2n)=4. There are 2 possibilities
chromosomes can produce 223 (about 8 million) different types of for the homologous pairs to arrange themselves on the
equator and each will result in the formation of different
gametes, due to independent assortment alone.
gametes.
 Independent assortment makes it possible to have different
combinations of maternal and paternal chromosomes in the gametes. https://essentialseducation.com.au/resources/sace2/biology/e
va-meiosis/
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCnQOrh7KUg
FERTILISATION
 Fertilisation refers to the fusion of

the 2 gametes which restores the
diploid number of chromosomes.
 Fertilisation introduces variation
into a sexually reproducing species
as the new zygote formed has
genetic material from 2 different
parents.
SEXUAL VS ASEXUAL
REPRODUCTION
Organisms generally reproduce by sexual or asexual means but some organisms are capable of both of these methods at different times.
Reproduction is sexual, if fertilisation occurs. Meiotic division produces the sex cells or gametes needed for this to occur.
In asexual reproduction there is no fertilisation. In unicellular eukaryotic cells this normally occurs by mitotic division whereas
prokaryotic cells use binary fission.
Aspect of Comparison Mitotic Division Meiotic Division

Purpose of division Form of asexual reproduction, growth, repair Forms gametes in sexual
reproduction
Number of cells formed 1→2 1→ 4
Chromosomes state Retained ‘status quo’ usually Diploid → haploid
Diploid → diploid (some exceptions)
Variation Cells produced are clones of parent Cells produced have considerable
variation
Crossing over None Occurs in Prophase I
Independent assortment None Occurs in Metaphase I
Asexual reproduction generally produces clones of the parent. Sexual reproduction, through crossing over, independent assortment in
meiosis and fertilisation, introduces enormous variation into the offspring compared to the parents.
Somatic or tissue cells have pairs of homologous
chromosomes, one of the maternal origin, the other
paternal. These cells are diploid.
Haploid cells are sex cells or gametes and have only

one member of each homologous pair of
Key Concepts chromosomes. As such, they have half the number of
chromosomes as diploid cells.
Meiotic division occurs in sexually reproducing

species; one diploid cell gives rise to haploid cells.
This is called a reduction division.
Fertilisation is the union of 2 gametes and it restores
the diploid number. A zygote is the one-cell stage that
arises from the union of a sperm with an egg
(fertilisation).
Variation in the offspring of sexually reproducing

Key Concepts species comes about by: crossing over, independent
assortment, fertilisation and mutations.
Offspring from asexual reproduction will be clones

of the parent unless a mutation occurs in the DNA.

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CELLS &

Human diploid cells (body cells) contain 46

Sex chromosomes in female = XX

 Sex cells (sperm and ova) = gametes

 Sperm and ova (eggs) do not carry a full set of

 Human gametes carry 23 chromosomes

Sperm + Egg → Zygote

Haploid (n) Haploid (n) Diploid (2n)

 Fertilisation refers to the fusion of

Aspect of Comparison Mitotic Division Meiotic Division

Haploid cells are sex cells or gametes and have only

Meiotic division occurs in sexually reproducing

Variation in the offspring of sexually reproducing

Offspring from asexual reproduction will be clones

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