When does the reduction in meiosis occur?

Question

AND why is meoisis called reduction division?

Answer 1

Short answer: in the second step, and because there IS a second step.

Most cells will copy all their DNA until they have two copies of everything, and then divide into two cells that each of one copy of everything. This works pretty well.

In meiosis, the cells don't stop there. Each of the new cells then (after a brief rest) divides again into germ cells, each with HALF the amount of DNA a normal adult needs.

If you're referring to 'ploidy', a normal cell is diploid - it has two version of each gene, one from mom and one from dad (and when it's ready for mitosis, it has two copies of each version, so in a sense it has four copies... but that doesn't count for ploidy). A germ cell, on the other hand is monoploid (or haploid) - it only has one copy of each gene. Thus the amount of DNA is has is rather reduced from a normal cell.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Anaphase I
(the 3rd phase of the 1st meiotic division)