What is the process of meiosis in sexual reproduction?

Meiosis is the process of cell division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms to produce gametes, which are haploid cells that contain half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

The process of meiosis involves two rounds of cell division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II. Prior to meiosis I, the DNA in the parent cell is replicated, resulting in two identical copies of each chromosome, known as sister chromatids.

During meiosis I, homologous pairs of chromosomes, consisting of one chromosome from each parent, come together and exchange genetic material in a process called crossing over. This results in new combinations of genes on each chromosome. The homologous chromosomes then separate, resulting in two daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

In meiosis II, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated, resulting in four haploid daughter cells, each with a unique combination of genes. These haploid cells are the gametes, which can fuse with another gamete during fertilization to form a zygote, which contains a full complement of chromosomes.