How many cells are produced at the end of meiosis?

• A. Two haploid cells
• B. Two diploid cells
• C. Four haploid cells
• D. Four diploid cells

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of meiosis: Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in the production of haploid cells from a diploid cell. It consists of two consecutive divisions: meiosis I and meiosis II.
2. Identify the stages of meiosis: Meiosis I includes prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I, and telophase I, while meiosis II includes prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II, and telophase II. Each stage plays a crucial role in the reduction of chromosome number.
3. Recognize the outcome of meiosis I: At the end of meiosis I, the homologous chromosomes are separated into two cells, each containing half the number of chromosomes, but still in a duplicated form (sister chromatids). These cells are haploid.
4. Analyze the outcome of meiosis II: Meiosis II separates the sister chromatids, resulting in four cells, each with a single set of chromosomes. These cells are haploid, meaning they contain one chromosome from each homologous pair.
5. Conclude the process: The final result of meiosis is the production of four haploid cells, each genetically distinct from the parent cell and from each other, due to the processes of crossing over and independent assortment during meiosis I.