What is meiosis?

• A. Diploid cell creation
• B. Mitosis
• C. Cell division that creates haploid sex cells
• D. Protein synthesis

Answer: (C)

Meiosis is the cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half to form haploid sex cells. This is essential so that when two gametes join during fertilization, the offspring end up with the normal diploid chromosome count. In organisms like animals and many plants, meiosis occurs in the reproductive organs to produce sperm and eggs (or pollen and ovules). It involves two rounds of division after DNA is replicated, first separating homologous chromosomes and then separating sister chromatids, yielding four haploid cells. Genetic variation comes from crossing over during the first division and from the independent assortment of chromosomes, so each gamete is genetically different from the others. This is different from mitosis, which keeps the chromosome number the same and makes two genetically identical diploid body cells, and from protein synthesis, which is about making proteins from genetic information.