BIOLOGY

Meiosis & Sexual Reproduction

Vocabulary
• Gene—a sequence of DNA nucleotides that codes for
a specific RNA molecule
• Genome—the complete complement of an organism’s
genes
• Locus—a gene’s specific location on a chromosome
• Autosomes—chromosomes found in both sexes
• Sex chromosomes—chromosome that determines the
sex of an individual
• Homologous chromosomes—members of a pair of
chromosomes that carry genes for the same traits
Figure 13.8 A comparison of mitosis and meiosis
Figure 13.7 The stages of meiotic cell division: Meiosis I
Figure 13.7 The stages of meiotic cell division: Meiosis II
Sexual Reproduction
• Usually involves two
parents
• Involves two events:
meiosis and fertilization

Advantage: recombination of the inherited traits

of two parents; offspring may be able to survive
environmental changes or other stress
Variation in Sexual Reproduction
1. Crossing-over during prophase I of
meiosis
2. Independent assortment of
chromosome pairs during anaphase I of
meiosis
3. Random fertilization: the random
combination of gametes from two
different parents
Figure 13.9 The results of alternative arrangements of two homologous chromosome
pairs on the metaphase plate in meiosis I
Figure 13.10 The results of crossing over during meiosis
Figure 13.2 Two families
Alternation of Generations
 Asexual Reproduction
• Only one parent
• Advantages:
– Fast
– Many offspring
– All identical—good when well adapted to the
environment
– No need to find a mate
Disadvantage: no variations
Figure 13.1 The asexual reproduction of a hydra
Figure 13.3 Preparation of a human karyotype (Layer 4)
Figure 13.x3 Human female karyotype shown by bright field G-banding of
chromosomes
Figure 13.x5 Human male karyotype shown by bright field G-banding of
chromosomes
Figure 13.6 Overview of meiosis: how meiosis reduces chromosome number
Figure 13.8 A comparison of mitosis and meiosis: summary