What is the end result of meiosis?

The end result of meiosis is the production of four haploid cells. This process is essential for sexual reproduction as it reduces the chromosomal number by half in organisms that reproduce sexually. During meiosis, one diploid germ cell undergoes two rounds of division: meiosis I and meiosis II.

In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, resulting in two cells; each of these cells contains half the number of chromosomes as the original cell, but they are still in the form of sister chromatids. Then, in meiosis II, these two cells divide again, separating the sister chromatids and producing a total of four genetically diverse haploid cells.

This outcome is important because haploid cells (gametes such as sperm and eggs) can combine during fertilization to restore the diploid chromosome number in the resulting zygote, ensuring genetic diversity in the offspring. Therefore, the production of four haploid cells is crucial for maintaining the proper chromosome number across generations in sexually reproducing organisms.