Meiosis: Gamete Formation

Meiosis and Mitosis are very similar in that they have the same phases, but there is an important difference. The cells formed in Meiosis are the reproductive cells, therefore needing only half the number of chromosomes of a regular cell.

During Interphase the genetic material, in the form of chromatin, makes a copy of itself.

In Prophase the threads shorten and thicken, becoming visible, and similar chromatids pair up.

These pairs line up along the middle of the cell in Metaphase.

Anaphase is where the major difference with Mitosis occurs. The chromosomes move to opposite ends of the cell without splitting the chromatids, and the cytoplasm begins to divide.

The cytoplasm completes division in Telophase, and the first stage of meiosis is considered complete.

The second stage begins again at Metaphase(II), where the chromosomes line up in the center of the new cells.

In Anaphase(II) these lined up chromosomes are split, and the cytoplasm divides once again.

Telophase(II) completes the process of Meiosis, with four gamete cells formed, each with half of the chromosomes that the single parent cell had.