MEIOSIS

Meiosis
• The form of cell division by which gametes,
with half the number of chromosomes, are
produced.

• Diploid (2n)  haploid (n)

• Meiosis is sexual reproduction.

• Two divisions (meiosis I and meiosis II).

II
 Fertilization
• The fusion of a sperm and egg to form a zygote.
zygote
• A zygote is a fertilized egg

sperm
n=23 n=23
egg
2n=46
zygote
 Meiosis
• Sex cells divide to produce gametes (sperm
or egg).
egg)
• Gametes have half the # of chromosomes.
chromosomes
• Occurs only in gonads (testes or ovaries).
Male: spermatogenesis
Female: oogenesis

• Meiosis is similar to mitosis with some

chromosomal differences.
Spermatogenesis
n=23
human
sex cell
sperm
n=23
n=23

2n=46
haploid (n)
n=23
diploid (2n) n=23

n=23

meiosis I meiosis II
Meiosis – mouse testes
Parent cell
1st division

2nd division

4 gametes
 Interphase I
• Similar to mitosis interphase.

• Chromosomes replicate (S phase).

• Each duplicated chromosome consist of two

identical sister chromatids attached at their
centromeres.
centromeres

• Centriole pairs also replicate.

 Interphase I
• Nucleus and nucleolus visible.

chromatin nuclear
membrane

cell membrane

nucleolus
 Meiosis I (four phases)
• Cell division that reduces the chromosome
number by one-half.

• four phases:
phases
a. prophase I
b. metaphase I
c. anaphase I
d. telophase I
 Prophase I
• Longest and most complex phase (90%).
• Chromosomes condense.
• Synapsis occurs: homologous chromosomes
come together to form a tetrad.
tetrad
• Tetrad is two chromosomes or four
chromatids (sister and nonsister chromatids).
 Prophase I - Synapsis
Homologous chromosomes

sister chromatids sister chromatids

Tetrad
 Homologous Chromosomes
• Pair of chromosomes (maternal and paternal)
paternal that are
similar in shape and size.
• Homologous pairs (tetrads) carry genes controlling the
same inherited traits.
• Each locus (position of a gene) is in the same position on
homologues.
• Humans have 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes.

a. 22 pairs of autosomes
b. 01 pair of sex chromosomes
 Karyotype
• A method of organizing the chromosomes of a
cell in relation to number, size, and type.
Homologous Chromosomes

eye color eye color

locus locus

hair color hair color

locus locus

Paternal Maternal
Humans have 23 Sets of Homologous Chromosomes
Each Homologous set is made up of 2 Homologues.
Homologue

Homologue
 Autosomes
(The Autosomes code for most of the offspring’s traits)

In Humans the
“Autosomes”
are sets 1 - 22
21 trisomy – Downs
Syndrome

Can you see the

extra 21st
chromosome?

Is this person
male or female?
 Sex Chromosomes
The Sex Chromosomes code for the sex of the offspring.
** If the offspring has two “X” chromosomes it will be a female.
** If the offspring has one “X” chromosome and one “Y”
chromosome it will be a male.

In Humans the
“Sex
Chromosomes”
are the 23rd set

XX chromosome - female XY chromosome - male

Boy or Girl? The Y Chromosome “Decides”

Y chromosome
X chromosome
 Crossing Over
• Crossing over (variation) may occur between
nonsister chromatids at the chiasmata.
chiasmata
• Crossing over:
over segments of nonsister
chromatids break and reattach to the other
chromatid.
chromatid
• Chiasmata (chiasma) are the sites of crossing
over.
over
 Crossing Over - variation
nonsister chromatids Tetrad

chiasmata: site variation

of crossing over
Another Way Meiosis Makes Lots of
Different Sex Cells – Crossing-Over

Crossing-over multiplies the already huge number of

different gamete types produced by independent
 Sex Chromosomes

XX chromosome - female XY chromosome - male

 Metaphase I
spindle fiber centrioles

aster
fibers
 Metaphase I
• Shortest phase
• Tetrads align on the metaphase plate.
plate
• INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT OCCURS:
1. Orientation of homologous pair to poles is random.
2. Variation
3. Formula: 2n
Example: 2n = 4
then n = 2
thus 22 = 4 combinations
 Metaphase I

OR

metaphase plate metaphase plate

 Anaphase I
• Homologous chromosomes separate and
move towards the poles.

• Sister chromatids remain attached at their

centromeres.
centromeres
Anaphase I
 Telophase I
• Each pole now has haploid set of
chromosomes.
chromosomes

• Cytokinesis occurs and two haploid daughter

cells are formed.
Telophase I
 Meiosis II
• No interphase II
(or very short - no more DNA replication)
replication

• Remember: Meiosis II is similar to mitosis

 Prophase II
• same as prophase in mitosis
 Metaphase II
• same as metaphase in mitosis

metaphase plate metaphase plate

 Anaphase II
• same as anaphase in mitosis
• sister chromatids separate
 Telophase II
• Same as telophase in mitosis.
mitosis
• Nuclei form.
• Cytokinesis occurs.

• Remember: four haploid daughter cells

produced.

gametes = sperm or egg

Telophase II
 Meiosis
n=2

sex cell sperm

n=2
n=2

2n=4
haploid (n)
n=2
diploid (2n) n=2

n=2

meiosis I meiosis II
 Question:
• In terms of Independent Assortment -
how many different combinations of
sperm could a human male produce?
 Answer
• Formula: 2n
• Human chromosomes: 2n = 46
n = 23

• 223 = ~8 million combinations

 Variation
• Important to population as the raw
material for natural selection.

• Question:
What are the three sexual sources of
genetic variation?
 Answer:
1. crossing over (prophase I)

2. independent assortment (metaphase I)

3. random fertilization

Remember: variation is good!

 Question:
• A cell containing 20 chromosomes (diploid)
at the beginning of meiosis would, at its
completion, produce cells containing how
many chromosomes?
chromosomes
 Answer:
• 10 chromosomes (haploid)
 Fertilization
• The fusion of a sperm and egg to form a zygote.
zygote
• A zygote is a fertilized egg

sperm
n=23 n=23
egg
2n=46
zygote
 Question:
• A cell containing 40 chromatids at the
beginning of meiosis would, at its completion,
produce cells containing how many
chromosomes?
chromosomes
 Answer:
• 10 chromosomes
 Sources
• www.ursulinehs.org/powerpoint/
meiosis.ppt
• www.biology4teachers.com/Cell%20Div
ision/
MEIOSIS.ppt
• http://www.iteachbio.com/Life%20Scien
ce/LifeFunctionsandTheCell/Meiosis.ppt
CANCER
• “ Cancer is a disease
where cells grow out of
control and invade,
erode and destroy
normal tissue”
 What causes cancer?
• Cancer arises from the mutation of a normal
gene.
• Mutated genes that cause cancer are called
oncogenes.
• It is thought that several mutations need to
occur to give rise to cancer
• Cells that are old or not functioning properly
normally self destruct and are replaced by
new cells.
• However, cancerous cells do not self destruct
and continue to divide rapidly producing
millions of new cancerous cells.
PROPERTIES OF CANCER CELLS
• BENIGN TUMOR
- Masses of noninvasive cells are
noncancerous
- Stay in one place
• MALIGNANT TUMOR
- Invasiveness cells and one that is
cancerous
- Spread to other areas in the body
 Lymph
vessels

Tumor

Glandular
tissue

Metastasis

1 2 3
A tumor grows Cancer cells invade Cancer cells spread
from a single neighboring tissue. through lymph and
cancer cell. blood vessels to other
parts of the body.
Figure 8.10
 How do normal cells become
cancerous?

Selection within tumor for

“most cancerous” cells