The pairing of homologous chromosomes in meiosis is known as

Zygotene stage of meiosis is characterised by pairing of homologous chromosomes (synapsis). This pairing is brought about in a zipperlike fashion and may start at centromere, at chromosome ends or at any other position. Two homologous chromosomes are called bivalent while they are pairing during meiosis. The homologous chromosomes break their connection and separate out during Anaphase- 1 of meiosis. The process of separation is named as disjunction. Synergids are elongated cells present at the micropylar end of the embryo sac.

The pairing of homologous chromosomes in meiosis i

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Meiosis

Meiosis is a process in which a single cell, a diploid cell, undergoes division twice to produce four haploid daughter cells, and the cells produced are known as the sex cells or gametes (sperms in males and egg in females). It contains half of the original amount of genetic information. The haploids only have half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.

Features of Meiosis:

It results in the formation of four daughter cells in each cycle of cell division.
The daughter cells are identical to the mother cell in shape and size but different in chromosome number.
The daughter cells are haploid.
Recombination and segregation take place in meiosis.
The process occurs in the reproductive organs and results in the formation of gametes.
The process is divided into two types-Meiosis-I reduces the chromosome number to half and is known as reductional division. Meiosis-II is just like the mitotic division.

Phases of Meiosis

Meiosis can be divided into nine stages. The process is usually divided into two parts. The first time a cell divides (meiosis I) and the second time it divides (meiosis II). The phases are as follows –

Meiosis 1 Stages

The different stages of meiosis 1 can be explained by the following phases :

Prophase 1
Metaphase 1
Anaphase 1
Telophase 1

Meiosis 2 Stages