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Title: Meiosis

Aim: To create a model to investigate the stages of meiosis in an animal cell

Apparatus:

 Scissor
 Ruler
 Pencil
 Cardboard
 Colored paper
 Glue
 Glue gun

Diagram:

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Method:

Meiosis II

1. A scissor was used to cut out an oval from a piece of cardboard to make the nuclear
envelope.
2. The Cardboard cut out of the nuclear envelope was wrapped in coloured paper.
3. Sets 1 and 2 were repeated to create an identical nuclear envelope.
4. Coloured paper was used to make the chromosomes and the centriole for the prophase II
5. The two identical nuclear envelope were glued together with the glue gun.
6. Steps 1 to 5 were repeated to create the metaphase II , Anaphase II , and Telophase II

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Observation/Results:

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Discussion:

Meiosis is the cell division process for those cells involved in sexual reproduction. A diploid
parent cell, which has two complete sets of chromosomes (22 pairs of numbered chromosomes
and one pair of sex chromosomes), divides twice to produce four daughter cells that are haploid
and each contain half the DNA of the original parent cell before cell division. Meiosis is split
into two distinct cycles, I and II, each with its own phases or stages of cell division. Each cycle
contains phases, as in mitosis, and each phase is labeled with a number to indicate which cycle it
belongs to. For example, meiosis I has prophase I and anaphase I, while meiosis II has prophase
II and anaphase II.

Meiosis I, the first half of the total cell division process of sexual reproductive cells, has four
phases: prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I and telophase I. Before mitosis or meiosis I begin,
all cells go through interphase.In interphase; the cell is preparing for cell division and has many
functions at this point. The parent cell remains in this phase or stage for most of its life in
preparation for division. It is broken down into three smaller subphases: G1 phase, S phase and
G2 phase. In the G1 subphase, the parent cell increases in mass so it can later divide into two
cells. The G represents the word gap, and the one represents the first gap in interphase. The S
subphase is next, in which the DNA is synthesized in the parent cell. DNA is replicated in order
to provide the two daughter cells in meiosis I with chromosomes from the parent cell. The S
stands for synthesis. The next subphase in interphase I is the G2 phase or the second gap phase.
In this subphase, the cell increases in size and synthesizes its proteins. The parent cell still has
nucleoli present and is bound by the nuclear envelope. The chromosomes are synthesized, but
they all remain in the form of chromatin. Centrioles are replicated are located outside of the
nucleus.

Prophase I occurs next. The chromosomes in the parent cell start to condense and then attach to
the nuclear envelope as synapsis occurs, meaning that a pair of identical chromosomes line up
next to each other to form a tetrad. A tetrad is formed from four chromatids. This is the point of
genetic recombination or "crossing over" of the genes. Genes are recombined to form new
combinations that may or may not be the exact genetic combinations of one parent or another.
The chromosomes will then thicken and detach themselves from the nuclear envelope as the
centrioles start to move away from each other and the nucleoli and nuclear envelope both break
down. The chromosomes will then start their migration to the metaphase plate in anticipation of
cell division.

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Metaphase I is the next phase in meiosis I. In this phase, the tetrads align themselves at the
metaphase plate in the cell, and the centromeres of the chromosome pairs are turned toward the
opposite poles or ends of the cell.

Anaphase I is characterized by the chromosomes moving to the opposite sides or poles of the
cell. Kinetochore fibers, which are microtubules, start to pull the chromosomes to the opposite
cell poles. The sister chromatids remain together after the movement of the chromosomes to
opposite poles.

Telophase I is the next phase in meiosis I and the last phase in this part of meiosis. The spindle
fibers continue to pull the chromosome pairs to the opposite poles of the parent cell. After they
reach the opposite poles, each pole contains haploid chromosomes, meaning that they each have
half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The cell divides through cytokinesis in the
division of the cytoplasm to produce two daughter haploid cells. Meiosis II has four stages,
which are prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II and telophase II.

Metaphase II is characterized when the chromosomes line up at the metaphase II plate in the
center of the cell.

Anaphase II of meiosis II is the next phase to occur. In it, the sister chromatids separate from
each other and start their journey to opposite poles or sides of the cell. At this time, the spindle
fibers that are not connected to the chromatids start to lengthen. This causes the cell to elongate
its shape. When the pair of sister chromatids separate from each other, they actually become a
full chromosome, called daughter chromosomes. The poles of the cell move farther apart as the
cell elongates, and at the end of this phase, each pole contains a full set of chromosomes.

Telophase II is the last distinct phase of meiosis II. Nuclei form with one at each opposite pole.
Cytokinesis occurs again to divide the cytoplasm and create two more cells. This results in four
daughter haploid cells, each containing half the chromosomes as the original parent cell. When
sex cells of sperm and eggs unite in fertilization, each pair of joined haploid cells becomes a
diploid cell, just as the parent cell was before it began the division process of meiosis.

Mitosis and meiosis are both processes, which describe the production of new cells. Mitosis
produces 2 daughter cells, which are genetically identical to the parent cell. Each daughter cell is
diploid (contains the normal number of chromosomes). This is the result of DNA replication and
1 cell division. Mitosis is used in growth and asexual reproduction. Meiosis produces 4 daughter
cells, each of which is unidentical to the parent cell and to one another. Each daughter cell is
haploid (contains half the number of normal chromosomes). This is the result of DNA
replication, followed by crossing over of homologous chromosomes and separation of

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chromosomes. There are two cell divisions: the parent cell divides once and then each cell
produced by this first division divides once. Meiosis is used to produce gametes (sperm and egg
cells), the cells of sexual reproduction. Two gametes fuse to form a zygote, a diploid cell with
the full number of chromosomes.

Conclusion:

It is concluded that a model of meiosis can be created and the stages of meiosis was observed.

Reflection:

Meiosis is the process in eukaryotic, sexually reproducing animals that reduces the number of
chromosomes in a cell before reproduction. Many organisms package these cells into gametes,
such as egg and sperm. The gametes can then meet, during reproduction, and fuse to create a new
zygote. Because the number of alleles was reduced during meiosis, the combination of two
gametes will yield a zygote with the same number of alleles as the parents. In diploid organisms,
this is two copies of each gene.Meiosis is necessary in many sexually reproducing animals to
ensure the same number of chromosomes in the offspring as in the parents. The act of
fertilization includes two cells fusing together to become a new zygote. If the number of alleles
of each gene is not reduced to one in the gametes that produce the zygote, there will be 4 copies
of each gene in the offspring. In many animals, this would lead to many developmental defects.
In other organisms, polyploidy is common and they can exist with many copies of the same gene.
However, if the organism cannot survive if they are polyploidy, meiosis must occur before
reproduction. Meiosis occurs in two distinct divisions, with different phases in each.

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