A review of meiosis Comparing Meiosis and Mitosis

Chromosome behavior 1. Mitosis: Homologous chromosomes independent 2. Meiosis: Homologous chromosomes pair forming bivalents until anaphase I Chromosome number- reduction in meiosis 1. Mitosis- identical daughter cells 2. Meiosis- daughter cells haploid Genetic identity of progeny: 1. Mitosis: identical daughter cells 2. Meiosis: daughter cells have new assortment of parental chromosomes 3. Meiosis: chromatids not identical, crossing over

Meiotic errors

Nondisjunction- homologues don't separate in meiosis 1 1. Results in aneuploidy 2. Usually embryo lethal 3. Trisomy 21, exception leading to Downs syndrome 4. Sex chromosomes 1. Turner syndrome: monosomy X 2. Klinefelter syndrome: XXY Translocation and deletion: transfer of a piece of one chromosome to another or loss of fragment of a chromosome.

Mitosis, Meiosis, and Ploidy

Mitosis can proceed independent of ploidy of cell, homologous chromosomes behave independently Meiosis can only proceed if the nucleus contains an even number of chromosomes (diploid, tetraploid). Trisomy 21 does not prevent meiosis

Sr.No Mitosis Meiosis 1. Mitosis takes place within somatic cells (cells that make up the body). Meiosis takes place within gamete cells (sex cells). 2. One single division of the mother cell results in two daughter cells. Two divisions of the mother cell result in four meiotic products or haploid gametes. 3. A mitotic mother cell can either be haploid or diploid. A meiotic mother cell is always diploid. 4. The number of chromosomes per nucleus remains the same after division. The meiotic products contain a haploid (n) number of chromosomes in contrast to the (2n) number of chromosomes in mother cell. 5. It is preceded by a S-phase in which the amount of DNA is duplicated. In meiosis, only meiosis I is preceded by a S-phase. 6. In mitosis, there is no pairing of homologous chromosomes. During prophase I, complete pairing of all homologous chromosomes takes place. 7. There is no exchange of DNA (crossing-over) between chromosomes. There is at least

one crossing-over or DNA exchange per homologous pair of chromosomes. 8. The centromeres split during anaphase. The centromeres do separate during anaphase II, but not during anaphase I. 9. The genotype of the daughter cells is identical to that of the mother cells. Meiotic products differ in their genotype from the mother cell. 10. After mitosis, each daughter cell has exactly same DNA strands. After meiosis, each daughter cell has only half of the DNA strands

Errors in Meiosis
It is estimated that from 1025% of all human fertilized eggs contain chromosome abnormalities, and these are the most common cause of pregnancy failure (35% of the cases).
These chromosome abnormalities

arise from errors in meiosis, usually meiosis I; occur more often (90%) during egg formation than during sperm formation; become more frequent as a woman ages. Aneuploidy the gain or loss of whole chromosomes is the most common chromosome abnormality. It is caused by nondisjunction, the failure of chromosomes to correctly separate: o homologues during meiosis I or o sister chromatids during meiosis II Zygotes missing one chromosome ("monosomy") cannot develop to birth (except for females with a single X chromosome). Three of the same chromosome ("trisomy") is also lethal except for chromosomes 13, 18, and 21 (trisomy 21 is the cause of Down syndrome). Three or more X chromosomes are viable because all but one of them are inactivate

Cloning is seen by some in the same light as selective breeding of animals, with benefits that include:

food that is engineered to fight disease preservation of endangered species a good technology for biomedical research enhancement of agricultural stock Agriculture and Drug Production: Not only can the best traits be perpetuated but farm animals could also be used as machines for large-scale production of medically important proteins. Polly, a transgenic cloned lamb, is an example. She is able to produce milk containing factor IX the protein that is deficient in haemophiliacs. Maintaining Biodiversity: Cloning may be an important tool for preserving endangered species if currently practiced methods fail. Biomedical Research: Cloning can produce genetically identical laboratory animals which can be used as models for human disease. The most commonly used laboratory animal, the mouse, reproduces rapidly and its genetics have been well studied. Mice have been successfully cloned and will likely facilitate the discovery of new treatments for disease. Jean-Paul Renard, of the National Institute of Agricultural Research in France, is attempting to produce cloned transgenic rabbits to study cardiovascular disease in the hope of finding new treatments. In addition, it provides a

model for studying the interaction of nuclear verses mitochondrial genes and for nuclear verses cytoplasmic factors. Commercial Endeavours: Noting that no live dog clones have yet been reported, the company PerPETuate, Inc. (Connecticut) is freezing tissue from family pets for the future. Researchers have had little success in the steps required to make a dog clone, such as development after nuclear transfer and embryo implantation into the womb. Treatment for Human Disease: Cells could be harvested from early embryos to provide cell and tissue replacement without the hazards of transplantation rejection. The U.K. government has recently accepted recommendations from its chief medical to permit research using embryos subject to controls, which include a 14-day limit (see the Department of Health website listed below in learn more)