Flashcards on Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis
Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis Explained for Students
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Meiosis
72 cards
Card 1
Question: What are the four substages of prophase I in meiosis (in order)?
Answer: Leptotene, Zygotene, Pachytene, Diplotene, followed by Diakinesis (often considered the final stage of prophase I).
Card 2
Question: What happens to chromosomes during leptotene?
Answer: Chromosomes begin to shorten and become visible as thin threads (lepto = thin).
Card 3
Question: What key events define zygotene?
Answer: Homologous chromosomes recognize and begin pairing (starting from the ends); the synaptonemal complex forms; crossing over is initiated at some sites
Card 4
Question: What is characteristic of pachytene?
Answer: Chromosome pairing extends over the entire length and crossing over is completed (pachy = thick).
Card 5
Question: What changes occur during diplotene?
Answer: The synaptonemal complex degrades; homologous chromosomes begin to separate but remain connected at crossover sites called chiasmata; each chromosome
Card 6
Question: What occurs during diakinesis?
Answer: The nuclear membrane breaks down, chromosomes become maximally shortened and able to move, and the spindle apparatus forms (preparing for metaphase I)
Card 7
Question: Define a bivalent in meiosis.
Answer: A pair of homologous chromosomes that are aligned together during prophase I (contains four chromatids).
Card 8
Question: What is a chiasma (plural: chiasmata)?
Answer: A site where homologous chromosomes remain connected due to a crossover event between chromatids.
Card 9
Question: During metaphase I, how are chromosomes arranged?
Answer: Paired homologous chromosomes (bivalents) assemble along the cell equatorial plane (metaphase plate).
Card 10
Question: What happens in anaphase I?
Answer: Homologous chromosomes separate and the recombined chromosomes migrate to opposite poles of the cell. The sister chromatids remain together.