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Meiosis is the remarkable process that produces sperm and egg cells, halving the chromosome number so fertilization restores the normal diploid count. Understanding the phases of meiosis helps explain both genetic stability and variation in sexually reproducing organisms.
It consists of two divisions:
Meiosis I – homologous chromosomes pair, cross over (creating new allele combinations), align randomly, and separate, reducing chromosome number.
Meiosis II – sister chromatids separate, similar to mitosis, yielding four genetically unique haploid cells.
Crossing over and independent assortment generate the diversity essential for evolution.