During meiosis, how many times does a single diploid cell divide to produce gametes?

• A. Twice
• B. Four times
• C. Three times
• D. Once

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that meiosis is a special type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half to produce gametes (sperm or egg cells).
2. Recall that meiosis consists of two main stages: Meiosis I and Meiosis II, each involving a round of cell division.
3. In Meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, reducing the chromosome number from diploid (2n) to haploid (n).
4. In Meiosis II, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated, similar to mitosis, resulting in four haploid cells.
5. Therefore, a single diploid cell divides twice during meiosis to produce gametes.