“In biology or life science, meiosis (pronounced my-oh-sis) is a process of reduction division in which the number of chromosomes per cell is cut in half. In animals, meiosis always results in the formation of gametes. The word "meiosis" comes from the Greek verb meioun, meaning "to make small," since it results in a reduction in chromosome number in the gamete cell.
Meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction and therefore occurs in all eukaryotes (including single-celled organisms) that reproduce sexually. A few eukaryotes, notably the Bdelloid rotifers, have lost the ability to carry out meiosis and have acquired the ability to reproduce by parthenogenesis. Meiosis does not occur in archaea or bacteria, which reproduce via asexual processes such as mitosis or binary fission. Each cell has half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.” - wikipedia
Meiosis information
Meiosis Tutorial from the University of Arizona The Biology Project, includes lesson plans and activities.
Meiosis Tutorial, from Sadava, et al., "Life: The Science of Biology", 8th edition, Sinauer Associates, Inc publishers.
