Meiosis is the process of producing gametes from "summary" of NCERT Exemplar Problems-Solutions BIOLOGY class 12th by Arihant Experts
Meiosis is a type of cell division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms. This process is responsible for producing gametes, which are the sex cells necessary for sexual reproduction. During meiosis, a single cell undergoes two rounds of division, resulting in the formation of four daughter cells that are genetically distinct from each other and from the parent cell. The primary function of meiosis is to reduce the chromosome number by half in the daughter cells. This reduction is essential for sexual reproduction, as it ensures that when gametes from two different individuals combine during fertilization, the resulting zygote will have the correct number of chromosomes. In humans, for example, somatic cells have 46 chromosomes, while gametes have only 23 chromosomes. Meiosis consists of two main stages: meiosis I and meiosis II. During meiosis I, homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange genetic material through a process called crossing over. This genetic recombination increases genetic diversity among the offspring. The homologous chromosomes then separate, with one member of each pair going to each daughter cell. In meiosis II, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated, resulting in the formation of four haploid daughter cells. These daughter cells are genetically different from each other and from the parent cell due to the random assortment of chromosomes and crossing over that occurred during meiosis I.- Meiosis is a crucial process in sexual reproduction, as it ensures genetic diversity among offspring and maintains the correct chromosome number from generation to generation. By producing gametes with half the chromosome number of somatic cells, meiosis allows for the combination of genetic material from two different individuals during fertilization, leading to the creation of genetically unique offspring.
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