Here's why:
* Meiosis I (First Meiotic Division): This division is called the reduction division. It separates homologous chromosomes (one from each parent), resulting in two daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the original cell. This is achieved through crossing over, a process that shuffles genetic material between homologous chromosomes, and independent assortment, which randomly separates maternal and paternal chromosomes.
* Meiosis II (Second Meiotic Division): This division is essentially a mitotic division. It separates the sister chromatids (identical copies of a chromosome) within each daughter cell, resulting in four haploid daughter cells. The number of chromosomes remains the same in each cell throughout this division.
In summary, the first meiotic division halves the number of chromosomes, while the second meiotic division keeps the number of chromosomes constant. This ensures that the final daughter cells have half the number of chromosomes as the original parent cell.
