Here's why:
* Meiosis I: A primary oocyte undergoes meiosis I, resulting in two daughter cells of unequal size. One daughter cell (the secondary oocyte) receives most of the cytoplasm and organelles, while the other, smaller cell is called the first polar body.
* Meiosis II: The secondary oocyte completes meiosis II, producing another unequal division. One daughter cell becomes the mature egg cell (ootid), while the other becomes the second polar body. The first polar body also divides into two more polar bodies.
In summary:
* One functional egg cell (ootid) matures into an egg
* Three polar bodies, which are essentially discarded.
The polar bodies are small cells that don't participate in fertilization. Their purpose is to reduce the amount of cytoplasm in the final egg cell, ensuring the egg cell has the necessary resources for successful development.
