ScienceAugust 26, 2026
meiosis
my-OH-sis
Definition
A specialized type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell, specifically producing reproductive cells like sperm and eggs.
Etymology
The word comes from the Greek word 'meiōsis,' meaning 'diminution' or 'lessening,' because the process reduces the number of chromosomes in the resulting daughter cells by half.
In the news
In this article, researchers contrasted the genetic changes occurring during meiosis with those found in earlier, pre-meiotic cell divisions to better understand how genetic diversity is generated in human sperm.
Unexpected Source of Genetic Variation Identified in Human Sperm
Read the full article ↗Technology Networks