| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| citokinesis | the cytoplasmic division of a cell at the end of mitosis or meiosis, bringing about the separation into two daughter cells. |
| Replication | the action of copying or reproducing something. 2. LAWdated a plaintiff's reply to the defendant's plea. |
| Cell cycle | The cell cycle or cell-division cycle is the series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication of its DNA (DNA replication) to produce two daughter cells. |
| chromosomes | a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes. |
| chromatid | each of the two threadlike strands into which a chromosome divides longitudinally during cell division. Each contains a double helix of DNA. |
| centromere | the point on a chromosome by which it is attached to a spindle fiber during cell division. |
| gametogenesis | the process in which cells undergo meiosis to form gametes. |
| gamete | a mature haploid male or female germ cell that is able to unite with another of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction to form a zygote. |
| sperm | a male reproductive cell; spermatozoon. |
| chromatin | the material of which the chromosomes of organisms other than bacteria (i.e., eukaryotes) are composed. It consists of protein, RNA, and DNA. |
| diploid | 1. (of a cell or nucleus) containing two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent. noun 1. a diploid cell, organism, or species. |
| interphase | the resting phase between successive mitotic divisions of a cell, or between the first and second divisions of meiosis. |
| crossing over | the exchange of genes between homologous chromosomes, resulting in a mixture of parental characteristics in offspring. |
| tetrad | a group or set of four. |
| synapsis | the fusion of chromosome pairs at the start of meiosis. |
| polar vodies | each of the small cells that bud off from an oocyte at the two meiotic divisions and do not develop into ova. |
| gonad | an organ that produces gametes; a testis or ovary. vulgar slang a man's testicles or genitals. |
| ovum/ova | a mature female reproductive cell, especially of a human or other animal, that can divide to give rise to an embryo usually only after fertilization by a male cell. |
| haploid | (of a cell or nucleus) having a single set of unpaired chromosomes. noun 1. a haploid organism or cell. |
| mitosis | a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth. |
