Video Transcript
Which of the following rows
correctly compares the cells produced at the end of meiosis one and meiosis two? W: At the end of meiosis one there
will be two haploid cells, and at the end of meiosis two there will be four haploid
cells that are genetically unique. X: At the end of meiosis one there
will be four haploid cells that are genetically unique, and at the end of meiosis
two there will be two haploid cells. Y: At the end of meiosis one there
will be four diploid cells that are genetically unique, and at the end of meiosis
two there will be four haploid cells that are genetically identical. Z: At the end of meiosis one there
will be two haploid cells, and at the end of meiosis two there will be six diploid
cells.
This question is asking us about
the cells produced in a type of cell division called meiosis. Overall, meiosis converts one
diploid cell into four genetically different haploid gametes, which can be used in
sexual reproduction. You may recall that a diploid cell
has two full sets of chromosomes, often represented as 2𝑛, while haploid cells have
half this number of chromosomes, only one set, which is represented as 𝑛.
Meiosis consists of two consecutive
cellular divisions: meiosis one and meiosis two. With this information, we can
already eliminate row Z, as meiosis two, the final cellular division in meiosis,
produces haploid cells, not diploid cells. Furthermore, we can eliminate row
X, as four haploid cells are produced at the end of meiosis, not two. We also know that the four haploid
gametes that are produced in meiosis are genetically different and unique. This suggests that row Y, which
states that these gametes are genetically identical, is also incorrect and that the
correct row comparing the cells produced at the end of meiosis one and meiosis two
is row W.
Let’s double-check this answer by
taking a look at the cells that are produced at the end of meiosis one. After the original diploid cell
replicates each of its chromosomes, these chromosomes are pulled into two haploid
cells in meiosis one. Now we can confirm the correct
answer to this question. The row correctly comparing the
cells produced at the end of meiosis one and meiosis two is row W.
