Meiosis produces four daughter cells from one original parent cell, and each daughter cell has half the number of chromosomes of the parent (they are haploid, not diploid).

Quick Scoop: Short Answer

  • One diploid parent cell undergoes meiosis and ends up as four haploid daughter cells.
  • This happens because there are two successive divisions (meiosis I and meiosis II) but the DNA is replicated only once before they start.
  • The four daughter cells are genetically unique due to processes like crossing over and independent assortment.

How the Four Cells Are Made

  • In meiosis I, homologous chromosome pairs separate, turning one diploid cell into two cells, each with half the chromosome number (but chromosomes still in sister chromatid pairs).
  • In meiosis II, those sister chromatids separate in each of the two cells, creating a total of four distinct daughter cells.

Extra Note: Gametes And Diversity

  • In animals, those four daughter cells usually become gametes (sperm or eggs), each carrying one set of chromosomes.
  • Because of genetic reshuffling in meiosis, each daughter cell has a unique combination of alleles, which boosts genetic diversity in offspring.

TL;DR: One cell entering meiosis → two divisions → four genetically unique daughter cells, each with half the original chromosome number.

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