Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction Vocabulary

Flashcards about Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction. Includes vocabulary related to chromosomes, cell division, and genetics.

Gene

A region of DNA that codes for the formation of proteins.

Homologous Chromosome

Chromosomes that make up a pair, one from each parent, having the same length and centromere position, carrying genes for the same traits.

Gamete

A sex cell (sperm or egg) that contains half the number of chromosomes (haploid).

Haploid

A cell with n number of chromosomes.

Diploid

A cell that contains 2n number of chromosomes.

Fertilization

The process by which one haploid gamete combines with another haploid gamete.

Sex Chromosome

One of the pairs of chromosomes that determine an individual’s gender (X and Y).

Autosome

Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in gametes.

Telomere

Protective caps at the end of chromosomes made of DNA associated with proteins.

Karyotype

A type of micrograph in which the pairs of homologous chromosomes are arranged in decreasing size.

Nondisjunction

Cell division during which sister chromatids fail to separate properly.

Crossing Over

A process during which chromosomal segments are exchanged between a pair of homologous chromosomes