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Chapter 6
Meiosis and Mendel
Term | Definition |
---|---|
somatic cell | cell that makes up all of the body tissues and organs, except gametes |
gamete | sex cell; an egg or a sperm cell |
autosome | chromosome that contains genes for characteristics not directly related to the sex of an organism |
sex chromosome | chromosomes that directly controls the development of sexual characteristics |
sexual reproduction | process by which two gametes fuse and offspring that are a genetic mixture of both parents are produced |
fertilization | fusion of an egg and a sperm |
diploid | cell that has two copies of each chromosome, one from an egg and one from a sperm |
haploid | cell that has only one copy of each chromosome |
meiosis | form of nuclear division that divides a diploid cell into haploid cells; important in forming gametes for sexual reproduction |
gametogenesis | process by which gametes are produced through the combination of meiosis and other maturational changes |
sperm | male gamete |
egg | female gamete |
polar body | haploid cell produced during meiosis in the female of many species; these cells have little more than DNA and eventually disintegrate |