Sexual Reproduction

and Meiosis

 Meiosis

sexual reproduction!

Meiosis makes the cells that are responsible

for sexual reproduction

Sexual Reproduction
Producing a new organism by combining

chromosomes from 2 parents

Specialized sex cells = _____________
gametes
Male = ___________
sperm
Female = _________
egg
Union of gametes = _________________
fertilization
which produces a ______________
zygote

Gametes
Each sex cell of a multicellular organism

contains the ___________

mono/haploid (n) number of
chromosomes characteristic of that
species (in humans, n = 23)
These chromosomes are NOT present in
pairs
Gametes are produced during
gametogenesis in the ___________
gonads
_____________

 Male gonads = _________

testes
Female gonads = _________
ovaries
The process that creates monoploid

gametes is ____________
meiosis
Organisms that contain both male &
hermaphrodites
female gonads are called _____________

Ex. Earthworms

Meiosis
AKA Reduction Division
A cellular division in which the number of

chromosomes is reduced by half (2n n)

Why do gametes need to have a
monoploid number of chromosomes?

In order for fertilization to produce a normal

2n zygote, the sperm & egg must have only
half the # of chromosomes
n
+ n
2n
fertilization
haploid
haploid
diploid
sperm
egg
zygote

 To establish this monoploid # of

chromosomes, sperm and eggs undergo

meiosis
Similar to mitosis, but meiosis has one
division
additional ___________

mitosis

Meiosis I

Meiosis II

Laser clip

1 Meiotic Division
st

Interphase I:

Chromatin replicates
Single stranded double stranded

Prophase I:

Chromatin coils chromosomes

Homologous chromosomes pair up during
synapsis & form tetrad (group of 4
chromatids)
Chromosomes may twist & exchange genes =
crossing over

Metaphase I:

Anaphase I:

Tetrads align @ equator (different than mitosis!! No

tetrads in mitosis)
Spindles attach to centromeres
Tetrads split
Homologous pairs move to opposite poles
(disjunction)
New cells: monoploid & double stranded
Non-disjunction: when tetrads fail to separate leaving
more/less chromosomes in each new cell)

Telophase I:

Cytoplasm divides
2 new daughter cells that are monoploid w/ double
stranded chromosomes

2nd Meiotic Division

Just like mitosis w/o chromosome replication
Prophase II:

Spindle fibers form & attach to centromeres

Metaphase II:

Chromosomes line up on equator

Anaphase II:

Double stranded chromosomes split &

chromatids move to opposite poles & cells are
now single stranded

Telophase II:

Both daughter cells divide forming 4

monoploid cells

End Result of Meiosis

1 diploid

primary (1o)
sex cell (2n)

4 monoploid
gametes (n)

Comparison of Mitosis & Meiosis

Mitosis
Replication of
chromosomes

Meiosis
same

Type of
reproduction

Asexual & growth

Used to make
gametes for
sexual
reproduction

Type & # of
daugher cells
compared to
parent cell

2; same as parent 4, 1/2

(2n)
chromosomes of
parent (n)

# of divisions

Ist step of division

synapsis?

no

yes

 Spermatogenesis:

The production of
sperm in the testes
4 monoploid sperm
produced from each
primary spermatocyte

 Oogenesis:

The production of
eggs (Latin: eggs =
ova) in ovaries
4 monoploid eggs
produced from each
primary oocyte
BUTonly one is
viable (survives)
The other 3 are very
small & are called
polar bodies. They
degenerate in the
females body.

 Unlike spermatogenesis, oogenesis is

NOT continuous:

Before birth, oogonia divide by mitosis to

produce the limited lifetime supply of oogonia
(which develop into oocytes)
In sexually mature females, one primary
oocyte develops into a viable egg
approximately every 28 days .

Egg vs. Sperm

Egg
Monoploid
Female ovaries
Non-motile (sessile)
Fewer in # (1 per
meiotic division)
Large
Yolk

Sperm
Monoploid
Male testes
Motile
Many in # (4 per
meiotic division)
Small
No yolk

 After gametes are produced, the next step

in reproduction is FERTILIZATION:

The union of a monoploid (n) sperm w/ a

monoploid (n) egg resulting in a diploid (2n)
ZYGOTE n + n = 2n
Requires fluid medium for sperm to swim to
egg
When a sperm comes in contact with an egg,
the acrosome (covers head of sperm)
releases enzymes that dissolve an opening
into the egg

What type of asexual

reproduction is this?

Whats wrong with this

picture?

Sites of Fertilization

External
The union of sperm & egg
OUTSIDE of the body of
the female
Occurs mainly in aquatic
animals
Requires large #s of
eggs to insure survival
because there is little
protection for the egg
Ex. Amphibians

Internal
Union of sperm & egg
INSIDE the body of the
female
Occurs in most terrestrial
vertebrate animals
Smaller # of offspring &
fewer # eggs released
because the egg is
protected inside the
mother
Ex. Mammals

 In vitro fertilization:

Fertilization outside
of the females
body
Zygote implanted
into female after
fertilization
Vitro = glass

I say, thank goodness for Veterinarians & IVF:

No more singles bars, no more dating!

 Parthenogenesis:

The development of an egg into a mature

organism WITHOUT fertilization by sperm
Therefore all offspring look identical to the
mother
Ex. Bees, artificial stimulation of frog eggs,
sea urchins, rabbits & turkeys
Parthenogenesis is the asexual reproduction
in normally sexually reproducing organisms.

mitosis

fertilization

meiosis

diploid
Monoploid/haploid

Chromosome number