Question #6ecbb
1 Answer
Meiosis accomplishes several things, the most important of which is the formation of gametes. These cells will merge (fuse) together, in order to make a single cell, the zygote during fertilization.
Explanation:
Mitosis and meiosis have many similarities and differences.
Primarily, mitosis is genetic replication--meaning that a cell basically duplicates itself and its own DNA to make a clone cell. So, one cell 'divides' into two 'new' cells, still with the same number of chromosomes. Mitosis is the most common form of cell replication in organisms.
However, meiosis only happens in organisms (usually multicellular ones) that will form gametes. That is, a mother and a father are needed to make offspring. Before the actual offspring can be made, special germ cells in the female mom and the male dad will become cells with only half the original number of chromosomes. These are called gametes.
So, meiosis produces these unusual cells (often called haploid).
They came from (usually, but not always) diploid cells.
During fertilization, the male (father) gamete cell combines with the female (mother)gamete cell. This restores the original diploid number of chromosomes.
Meiosis makes sexual reproduction possible. The gametes will have formed after lots of mixing and re-assorting of the parent's chromosomes.
This 'mixing' of genetic information does not occur normally during mitosis.
