The Cell Cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis

How does cell reproduction perpetuate life?

1. In multicellular organisms individual cells grow and then divide via a process called mitosis
2. The cell cycle is an ordered set of events, resulting in cell growth and division into two daughter cells.
3. Organisms begin as a single cell (fertilized egg) that divides successively to produce many cells

How does meiosis contribute to the genetic variability of organisms?

1. Meiosis is a special type of cell division necessary for sexual reproduction in eukaryotes that provides a source of genetic variation.
2. The number of chromosomes pairs in the cell is reduced to half the original number, typically from two sets (diploid) to one set (haploid).
3. In humans the cells produced by meiosis are the gametes (egg and sperm cells).
4. Meiosis and fertilization maintain the chromosome number through generations

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