Key vocab chromosomes and meiosis

haploid

Haploid cells contain only one complete set of chromosomes; half the number of chromosomes (n) as diploid (one copy)

sex chromosomes

The pair of chromosomes that determines the sex of an organism They regulate the sex-linked traits (1 pair in all human chromosome pairs)

diploid

cells contain two complete sets (2n) of chromosomes

meiosis

sed for just one purpose in the human body: the production of gametes—sex cells, or sperm and eggs. Its goal is to make daughter cells with exactly half as many chromosomes as the starting cell.

autosomes

Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome Regulates all characteristics of the body In humans the are a total of 46 chromosomes (23 pairs)

somatic cells

Regular body cells E.g., neurons, blood cells, liver cells, hair cells, etc Diploid (e.g., 46 chromosomes in humans) Created through mitosis (turns on diploid cell into two diploid daughter cells)

gametes

Sex cells that can be used to create offspring Sperm (males) & eggs (female) Haploid (e.g., 23 chromosomes in humans) Each parent contributes half the total DNA to the offspring Created through meiosis (turns one diploid cell into four haploid gametes)

Homologous Chromosomes

a pair of chromosomes that pair up with each other inside a cell during fertilization (one from each parent)