Importance of meiosis

The cells of the prokaryotes organisms can be replicated in two different ways. In the conventional process, known as mitosis, the daughter cells present copies of the entire genetic material of the original cell. On the other hand, in the particular mechanism called meiosis, genetic content is distributed among the daughter cells that result from only half of the original nuclear material. The importance of meiosis lies in the fact that it is the resource by which the gametes involved in sexual reproduction are produced.

In fact, the usual somatic cells of all prokaryotes beings include, under normal conditions, genetic material that is duplicated, but not redundant. These cells are designated in conventional form as diploids, which is usually symbolized as 2n. In the meiosis process, the participating cells have two consecutive cell divisions, after which four cell elements are produced, including half of the initial genetic material. These final cells are called Haploids and are referred to as 1n or n by convention.

In the context of prophase, the components of each of the pairs of chromosomes are matched to result in a recombination of their genetic content. At a subsequent stage, known as metaphase, the chromosomes resulting from this phenomenon are located in a central plane, and then migrate to the cell poles at the stage called Anaphase. Therefore, each of the cells originated during this succession of stages (known jointly as meiosis I) has half the genome of the original cell. In posterior meiosis II, these haploid cells are divided to give rise to new cellular elements, whose final maturation will result in ova and sperm.

In addition to ensuring sexual reproduction, the importance of meiosis is to ensure genetic variability, since the process of recombining genetic content allows the descendants originating from the gametes to retain much of the characteristics of their ancestors, but giving the new individual an absolutely unique and distinctive profile. Unlike the natural parthenogenesis or artificial cloning, in which reproduction arises from a new mitosis, meiosis produces really different specimens from its parents, opening up the possibility of new adaptations and relationships with the biological environment and, in the case of human beings, the psychological and social environment.

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