11 - Meiosis & Sexual Reproduction
11 - Meiosis & Sexual Reproduction
11 - Meiosis & Sexual Reproduction
Introduction
• Sexual reproduction combines genetic information from
both parents.
• Each parent has germ cells that produce sex cells or
gametes through a process called meiosis. All other cells
in the body are called somatic cells.
• Each gamete is haploid, or n, containing one set of
chromosomes
• The two gametes fuse to form the zygote, or fertilized
egg.
– This fusion is called fertilization.
• The zygote contains two sets of chromosomes one from
each parent and is diploid, or 2n.
– These two sets of chromosomes are homologous, each
chromosome from the male has a corresponding one
from the female. They are similar in size, shape and
genetic content
Homologous Chromosomes
• Homologues are different from
sister chromatids.
• Sister chromatids refers to the
duplicated chromosomes attached
at the centromeres
Homologous Homologous
chromosomes never pair chromosomes pair up
up along the cell equator
Good comparison