Meiosis is the process of cell division of the sex cell or gamete. During meiosis, the ovum from the female and the spermatozoa from the male reduce their respective chromosomes by half, from 46 to 23. When fertilization (the union of the ovum and the spermatazoa) occurs, the two sex cells combine to form a simple cell called the zygote, with the full set of 46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent.
2007-09-21 10:21:35
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answer #1
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answered by crismarie 4
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Meiosis facilitates stable sexual reproduction. Without the halving of ploidy, or chromosome count, fertilization would result in zygotes that have twice the number of chromosomes than the zygotes from the previous generation. Successive generations would have an exponential increase in chromosome count, resulting in an unwieldy genome that would cripple the reproductive fitness of the species. Polyploidy, the state of having three or more sets of chromosomes, also results in developmental abnormalities or lethality. Most importantly, however, meiosis produces genetic variety in gametes that propagate to offspring. Recombination and independent assortment allow for a greater diversity of genotypes in the population. As a system of creating diversity, meiosis allows a species to maintain stability under environmental changes.
2016-03-26 23:30:21
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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To make sex cells ( or gametes). In animals these are called sperm and eggs.
In humans cells ( EXCEPT sperm and eggs) we have 46 ( or 23 pairs of ) chromosomes........These are produced by MITOSIS which keeps the number of chromsomes the same in its division.
In sperm and eggs there is a second division which HALVES the number of chromosomes, so that we ONLY get ONE set of 23 chromosomes......
If we have more than this number of chromosomes, we get conditions like Down Syndrome ( 3 copies of chromosome number 21) , Patau Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, Klinefelters etc...and this is for only 1 extra chromosome ( except for klenfelters which can also have more).
So if humans don';t tolerate a single extra chromosome without, in general, moderate to severe conditions occuring, then its not going to be happy with more....
Its also important to maintain the "46"in our cells. If sperm and eggs contained 46 ( also called the diploid number...as its 2 (di) copies of each chromosome) then all the cells in the offspring will be 92...and then this will double again in the next generation...NOT GOOD!!!!!
So by halving the number of chromosomes ( caqlled haploid number) in sex cells, then the diploid number will be regained back in the zygote after fertilisation eg 23+23=46.
2007-09-20 18:57:03
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answer #3
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answered by mareeclara 7
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Meiosis is for making gametes (reproductive cells) that only have half of the original number of chromosomes.
This process is important because two gametes will join together to produce the next generation which will have the original number of chromosomes again.
2007-09-20 18:41:24
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answer #4
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answered by ecolink 7
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RE:
Explain the function of meiosis.?
If you're going to tell me to do my own homework, don't bother.
2015-08-06 05:57:29
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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To maintain the haploid number of chromosomes,so that at fertilization diploid number of chromosomes is restored.As a result same species give rise to same specicies.
2007-09-20 18:46:11
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answer #6
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answered by drcr_lohano1982 1
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