What is the end result of meiosis? A. four identical daughter cells B. four different daughter cells C. two identical daughter cells D. two different daughter cells
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B. four different daughter cells.
Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half and results in the formation of four non-identical daughter cells. This process is crucial for sexual reproduction because it generates gametes (sperm and eggs in animals, or pollen and ovules in plants), each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.
Meiosis occurs in two distinct stages: Meiosis I and Meiosis II. In Meiosis I, homologous chromosomes (chromosomes that are similar in shape, size, and genetic content) are separated into different cells. This stage includes the key event of crossing over, where sections of chromatids exchange genetic material, leading to genetic variation. As a result, the two daughter cells produced after Meiosis I are genetically different from each other.
In Meiosis II, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated, much like in mitosis, but without the chromosome number being duplicated first. This leads to four daughter cells, each with half the chromosome number of the original cell and with a unique combination of genes due to crossing over.
The end result of meiosis is thus four genetically distinct cells, each containing half the number of chromosomes (haploid). This genetic diversity is essential for evolution and adaptation in sexually reproducing organisms.
In contrast, mitosis produces two identical daughter cells with the same chromosome number as the parent cell, while meiosis contributes to genetic diversity by ensuring the offspring are genetically different from the parent and from each other.
