Chapter 11 (Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction)

alternation of generation

life-cycle type in which the diploid and haploid stages alternate

chiasmata

the structure that forms at the crossover points after genetic material is exchanged

crossover

exchange of genetic material between nonsister chromatids resulting in chromosomes that incorporate genes from both parents of the organism

fertilization

union of two haploid cells from two individual organisms

Independent assortment - Sorting of homologous chromosomes

interphase II

brief period of rest between meiosis I and meiosis II

life cycle

the sequence of events in the development of an organism and the production of cells that produce offspring

meiosis

a nuclear division process that results in four haploid cells

meiosis I

first round of meiotic cell division; referred to as reduction division because the ploidy level is reduced from diploid to haploid

Meiosis II

second round of meiotic cell division following meiosis I; sister chromatids are separated into individual chromosomes, and the result is four unique haploid cells

somatic cell

all the cells of a multicellular organism except the gametes or reproductive cells

tetrad

two duplicated homologous chromosomes (four chromatids) bound together by chiasmata during prophase I