Question

What is the importance of Meiosis?

Answer 1

Hint: It is important as it confirms that all organisms produced via sexual reproduction carry the correct number of chromosomes. It also produces genetic variation by way of the process of recombination.

Complete answer:
Meiosis (meiosis, meaning "lessening") is a special type of cell division in sexually reproducing organisms used to produce the gametes, such as sperm or egg cells. It involves two rounds of division that ultimately result in four daughter cells with only one copy of each chromosome. The daughter cells are identical to the mother cell in shape and size but different in chromosome number. The daughter cells are haploid.
The importance of Meiosis is:
- Meiosis is responsible for the formation of the gametes, responsible for sexual reproduction.
- It activates the genetic information for the development of gametes.
- It reduces the number of chromosomes to half in gametes cells and helps in maintaining the constant number of chromosomes. This is important because the chromosome number doubles after fertilization.
- In this process an independent assortment of maternal and paternal chromosomes takes place. Thus the chromosomes and the traits controlled by them are reshuffled.
- The genetic mutation occurs due to irregularities in cell division by meiosis and gives rise to new varieties.
- Meiosis is of great importance in evolution because of the recombination of genes.

Note: Meiosis was discovered and described for the first time in sea urchin eggs in 1876 by the German biologist Oscar Hertwig. In females, meiosis takes place in cells known as oocytes. In males, meiosis takes place during the formation of sperm in the seminiferous tubules of the testicles.