The first division is the most complex, particularly , which is subdivided into five stages: leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene, and diakinesis. During this phase, homologous chromosomes pair up (synapsis) and exchange segments of DNA in a process called crossing over . This shuffling creates new allele combinations that did not exist in either parent. Meiosis | Cell division | Biology (article) - Khan Academy
Unlike mitosis, which involves a single division, meiosis consists of , known as Meiosis I and Meiosis II, following a single round of DNA replication. Meiosis I (Reductional) Meiosis II (Equational) Primary Goal Separate homologous chromosomes. Separate sister chromatids. Genetic Outcome Reduces ploidy from diploid to haploid. Maintains haploid status. Key Event Crossing over (genetic recombination). No further recombination. Cells Produced Two haploid daughter cells. Four haploid daughter cells. Meiosis I: Generating Diversity meiosis
is a specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, creating four genetically distinct haploid cells from a single diploid parent cell. In humans, this process is essential for sexual reproduction, as it produces the gametes —sperm in males and eggs in females—each containing 23 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. The Two Phases of Meiosis The first division is the most complex, particularly