Question

Which of the following is a difference between phase I and phase ll of meiosis?

Phase I results in daughter cells with 23 chromosomes each and phase Il with 46 chromosomes each.
Phase I results in two haploid daughter cells and phase Il results in four haploid daughter cells.
• Genetic variations can only occur during phase Il of meiosis.
• Anaphase, metaphase, and telophase only occurs during phase I of meiosis.

Answer 1

The correct choice is:
- Phase I results in two haploid daughter cells and phase II results in four haploid daughter cells.

Brief clarifications:
- Meiosis I is the reductional division (homologs separate) producing two haploid cells.
- Meiosis II is the equational division (sister chromatids separate) and after it there are four haploid cells (each with 23 chromosomes in humans).
- Genetic variation arises mainly during prophase I (crossing over) and by independent assortment in metaphase I — not only in meiosis II.
- Metaphase, anaphase and telophase occur in both meiosis I and meiosis II (e.g., metaphase I and metaphase II, etc.).