AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in the parent cell by half and produces four gamete cells. This process is required to produce egg and sperm cells for sexual reproduction.

Detailed explanation-2: -Meiosis, from the Greek word meioun, meaning “to make small, ” refers to the specialized process by which germ cells divide to produce gametes. Because the chromosome number of a species remains the same from one generation to the next, the chromosome number of germ cells must be reduced by half during meiosis.

Detailed explanation-3: -Gametes are formed through meiosis (reduction division), in which a germ cell undergoes two fissions, resulting in the production of four gametes. During fertilization, male and female gametes fuse, producing a diploid (i.e., containing paired chromosomes) zygote.

Detailed explanation-4: -Germ cells are the only cells that undergo meiotic division, which occurs during germ cell differentiation and involves mosaic recombination of homologous chromosomes. As a result, each chromosome of a haploid germ cell is an arbitrary assemblage of parts of the two homologous parental chromosomes.

Detailed explanation-5: -Germ cells differentiate to produce male and female gametes, sperm and unfertilized eggs (oocytes or ova), and undergo meiosis to produce a haploid set of chromosomes. Haploid gametes then unite to form a diploid zygote that develops into a new individual.