Homologous chromosomes in meiosis?

Question

During prophase, genetic material is exchanged between the homologous chromosomes.

In many sites, it says that "both parent's chromosomes are in there"... but I thought that meiosis makes the eggs/sperm, so there is no fertilization yet...

so how come there are "both parents' chromosomes" in that cell?

Answer 1

Both parents for the organisms that the cell is living in!
In order to be a functional cell, it needs 46 chromosomes.
23 of them come from the organisms mother, and 23 from the organisms father.

It isn't talking about the organism this gamete may become, but rather the parents of the organism that the meiosis is going on in...

Answer 2

The primary (immature) oocyte (egg) and primary spermatocyte (sperm) contain 1/2 of your dad's and 1/2 of mom's chromosomes; 23 of each=46. This is before meiosis (gametogenesis) begins.
During meiosis (either spermatogenesis or oogenesis) an exchange of genetic material can occur between mom's & dad's homologous pairs.
This occurs during Meiotic metaphase I (not prophase, as you stated). During metaphase I the followig happens: Homologous pairs line-up on the equator of the cell(tetrad formation-4 chromatids across, also called synapsis), "crossing over" occurs between the chromatids with some breakage and reatachment between the homologous pairs; this is the exchange.
The newly arranged homologous chromosomes separate in anaphase I & II and become part of either a mature sperm or egg cell.

Answer 3

yeah..u r right :"meiosis makes the eggs/sperm, when there is no fertilization yet" but when they said "both parent's chromosomes are in there" they means both parent's chromosomes of the cell that produce egg/sperms....u know,it means something like grandparent's chromosomes of the cell that'll be made by fertilization...