___9. Cells divide to repair tissues, to grow and to reproduce.
___10. Two members of a pair are called homologous chromosomes.
II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW
DISCUSSION:
There are two types of cell division, mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis allows
organisms to reproduce asexually, grow and repair of worn-out or damaged
tissues. Meiosis on the other hand, is important in sexual reproduction and
genetic diversity among sexually reproducing organism.
Many of the steps of meiosis closely resemble corresponding steps in
mitosis. Meiosis, like mitosis, is preceded by the duplication of chromosomes.
However, this single duplication is followed by not one but two consecutive
cell divisions called meiosis I and meiosis II. These two divisions result in four
daughter cells (rather than the two daughter cells of mitosis), each with only
half as many chromosomes as the parent cell—one set, rather than two.
Meiosis reduces the amount of genetic information resulting to its importance
in sexual reproduction and genetic diversity among sexually reproducing
organism.
OVERVIEW OF MEIOSIS
The overview of meiosis
shows for a single pair of
homologous chromosomes in a
diploid cell, that both members
of the pair are duplicated and
the copies sorted into four
haploid daughter cells. Recall
that sister chromatids are two
copies of one chromosome,
closely associated all along their
lengths; this association is called
sister chromatid. Together, the
sister chromatids make up one
duplicated chromosome. In
contrast, the two chromosomes
Figure 1. Overview of meiosis: how meiosis
of a homologous pair are reduces chromosome number. After the
individual chromosomes that were chromosomes duplicate in interphase, the
inherited from different parents. diploid cell divides twice, yielding four
haploid daughter cells.
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Figure 2. Meosis I and Meiosis II. Describes in detail the stages of the two divisions of
meiosis for an animal cell whose diploid number is 6 (2n = 6).
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Table 1. Stages of Meiosis
STAGES OF MEIOSIS I STAGES OF MEIOSIS II
PROPHASE I PROPHASE II
Prophase of the first meiotic Meiosis II is initiated immediately
division is typically longer and after cytokinesis, usually before the
more complex when compared to chromosomes have fully
prophase of mitosis. It has been elongated. In contrast to meiosis I,
further subdivided into the meiosis II resembles a normal
following five phases based on mitosis.
chromosomal behaviour:
The nuclear membrane disappears
1. Leptotene
by the end of prophase II. The
2. Zygotene,
3. Pachytene chromosomes again become
4. Diplotene and compact.
5. Diakinesis
METAPHASE I METAPHASE II
The bivalent chromosomes align At this stage the chromosomes
on the equatorial plate. The align at the equator and the
microtubules from the opposite microtubules from opposite poles
poles of the spindle attach to the of the spindle get attached to the
pair of homologous. kinetochores of sister
ANAPHASE I ANAPHASE II
The homologous chromosomes It begins with the simultaneous
separate, while sister chromatids splitting of the centromere of each
remain associated at their chromosome (which was holding
centromeres. the sister chromatids together),
allowing them to move toward
opposite poles of the cell.
TELOPHASE I TELOPHASE II
The nuclear membrane and Meiosis ends with telophase II in
nucleolus reappear, cytokinesis which the two groups of
follows and this is called as diad of chromosomes once again get
cells. Although in many cases the enclosed by a nuclear envelope;
chromosomes do undergo some cytokinesis follows resulting in the
dispersion, they do not reach the formation of haploid daughter
extremely extended state of the cells.
interphase nucleus.
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IMPORTANCE OF MEIOSIS
Through the process of meiosis, rapid generation of new genetic
combinations happen to sex cells during their development. There are three
mechanisms that contribute to this genetic variation: independent
assortment, crossing-over, and random fertilization.
1. Independent Assortment
Humans have 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes. In fact, these 23
chromosomes that you receive from your parents are a matter of chance.
The random distribution of homologous chromosomes during meiosis is
called independent assortment. In metaphase I, maternal and paternal
chromosomes lined up at the equator of the cell, but eventually, these are
pulled apart randomly at opposite poles in anaphase I. Each of the 23 pairs
segregates or separates independently. Each daughter cell gets one
chromosome from each homologous pair.
Independent assortment is shown in Figure 3 with just four pairs of
homologous chromosomes for simplified illustration. With four pairs of
homologous chromosomes, you may come up with 24 or 16 possible
combinations. Thus, 223 (about eight million) with different gene
combinations can be produced from one original cell by this mechanism
alone for humans.
Figure 3. The alignment of chromosomes in the middle of the metaphase plate is random
and can result in astounding possibilities in genetic variability.
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Crossing-Over and Random Fertilization
Another factor that contributes to genetic variation is crossing-over. This
occur during prophase I of meiosis, where chromosomes line up in the
process called synapsis, while sections of their DNA are exchanged. DNA
exchange during crossover adds more recombination probabilities to the
independent assortment of chromosomes that occur later in meiosis. The
number of genetic combinations in the gametes is practically unlimited. In
addition, because the zygote that forms a new individual is created by the
random fusion of two gametes, fertilization squares the number of possible
outcomes (223 x 223 = 64 trillion).
Figure 4. Crossing-over between homologous chromosomes adds to genetic variability.
Activity 1.
Let’s Create Something. Show the stages of meiosis by describing what
happens in each stage. Choose only one type of presentation that you
prefer from the choices below:
1. Newspaper article
2. Poem/ Song
3. Create a model
4. Animated movie
Possible Rubric:
20 pts Knowledge - a clear and correct understanding of meiosis
20 pts Creativity - demonstrates a high level of creativity
10 pts Presentation - output is clear, thought out and easy to
understand
