Meiosis

Gamete Formation
Meiosis I
Meiosis II
Leopards, Zebras, Pachyderms & Dik-diks
Leptotene, Zygotene, Pachytene, Diplotene, Diakinesis
Prophase I
Stages of Prophase
Leptotene

Zygotene

Pachytene

Diplotene

Diakinese
Bouquet effect of chromatin,
heterochromatin = marginal, euchromatin
blooming centrally.

Double strands with synaptinemal complex
in between. Synizesis: collapse of chromatin
stands into chromatin masses.

Chromosomes thicken, 1/5 length of
leptotene; synaptinemal remains
(necessary for crossing over).
Crossing over occurs here


Synaptinemal complex disappears
making a two armed chromosome in
synapsis (tetrad).

Nuclear envelope disappears.
Leptotene
Leptotene (Gr. leptos = thin; taenia = band / stripe) is the first stage of meiosis. This is also the
first step in the condensation of DNA, a phenomenon that proceeds through the entire
prophase I. Despite the thread-like aspect of the chromosomes each consist in fact of two
chromatids, because the DNA has been already replicated during the pre-meiotic S-phase. Also
small regions with thickenings (chromomeres) arise in the chromatin on each chromosome,
which make them look like a pearl necklace. The homolog chromosomes are still unpaired in
most species.
Zygotene
At zygotene (Gr. zygon = touching another), the stage after leptotene, the pairing of
the homolog chromosomes (synapsis) begins. The homolog chromosomes are
hold together by proteins (synaptimeal complex) that promote crossing-over
between the DNA-double of homologous chromosomes.
Synaptimeal Complex
Made of proteins, possibly contractile.
Central core (middle) with parallel lateral
elements that attached or imbedded in
chromatin.
Crossing typically occurs only 2-3x per
homologous pair, but can happen 5-76
times; always associated with
homozygous regions on homologs.
Synaptimeal Complex in
Zygotene
Chromatin mass

Central Core

Lateral elements
Pachytene
Characteristic for pachytene (Gr.
pachus = thick), a stage of
prophase I, are the complete
pairing of the chromosomes and
the lining-up of the chromomeres.
Synapsisis now at a climax. The
nucleoli are often still visible.
Crossing over occurs.
Diplotene
During diplotene (Gr. diplous = in two)
Two sister-chromatids become visible
as does the bivalents formed by four
homolog chromatids. This is because
Homologs are now weakly bound and
slightly separate. The crossing over
(chiasmata) is very clear, (singular
chiasma; chiasmata plural: named for
the X-shaped (Greek letter chi).
Usually, each bivalent shows in general
one or more chiasmata, where
crossing-over has occurred.
Diakinese
.
At diakinesis (Gr. dia = apart; Gr.
kinein = to move) the chromatids e
entangle. Since the chromatids
diverge the chiasmata become even
more apparent. Nuclear membrane
and nucleoli completely disappear in
this phase. The spindle arises: from
each centrosomes (in animal cells) at
the poles microtubules 'grow'. Some
microtubules anchor to the
kinetochores of the chromosomes.
Continued shortening and thickening
of the chromatids follows.
Metaphase I
Upper row: side view
along the equatorial
plane. Lower row: polar
view.
At metaphase I
(Gr.meta=in the middle)
the nuclear envelope
and nucleoli have now
disappeared and each
pair of homolog
chromosomes moves to
the equatorial plane,
with the centromeres
protruding at each side
of this plane. The two
centromeres of any
homolog pair of
chromosomes are
attached each to spindle
microtubules reaching
opposite poles.
Anaphase I
At anaphase I the
chromosomes move apart
toward the opposite poles.
At this stage of meiosis I the
centromeres do not
separate: chromatids within
one chromosome stay
together. This is a very
important DIFFERENCE
with anaphase in mitosis.
Telephase I
Telophase I (Gr. telos = end) and the consecutive
interphase (interkinesis) do not generally occurring
in samples of meiotic divisions. In many organisms,
this phase is even skipped; this implies that no new
nuclear membrane is built around the two nuclei
between after anaphase I and that the cell directly
proceeds to meiosis II. In other organisms
telophase I and interkinesis last very shortly; the
chromosome temporarily de-spiralize and are less
visible for a period, while a nuclear membrane is
formed around each new nucleus.
What ever the scenario is preferred in this
intermediate phase there occurs NEVER doubling
of the DNA, not does genetic reshuffling take place,
thus also no crossing-over among chromosomes!
Prophase II
This stage at the beginning of
meiosis II is characterized by
the presence of a haploid
number of chromosomes that
condense again. Typically, no
second interphase occurs.
Metaphase II
The chromosomes move again to
the equatorial plane between the
poles. This plane is
perpendicular to the equatorial
plane of Metaphase I.
Anaphase II II
The centromeres
separate and the
chromatids are pulled
by the spindle
microtubules to opposite
poles (perpendicular to
the axis of anaphase I).
Now called daughter
chromosomes, they are
single stranded.
Telephase III
By the end of
meiosis II
chromosomes stop
migrating. Anew
nuclear envelop is
formed around
each of the four
new nuclei, while
the chromosomes
de-condense into
chromatin.
Spermatogenesis
Oogenesis