Simulation of Meiosis in a Cell
Illustrating the Distribution of Alleles in Gametes

• In most animals, meiosis occurs only in specialized cells and produces gametes (sperm and egg) - the only haploid cells in the life cycle.

• We can follow specific alleles during meiosis to better understand how these alleles are distributed in gametes.

• Maternal chromosomes are shown in red, paternal in blue (of course, meiosis always starts with a diploid cell!)

• A gene is a discrete unit of inheritable material - a portion of DNA - which may take different forms, called alleles. Alleles code for different versions of the same character; these versions are called traits.

• The monohybrid example follows one genetic character - represented by the alleles A and a.

• The dihybrid example follows 2 genetic characters - one represented by alleles A and a, the other by alleles B and b.

• The genes for these 2 characters are located on different chromosomes.

Go to Monohybrid Cross Example Problem

Go to Dihybrid Cross Example Problem