Homologous chromosomes move toward opposite poles of a dividing cell during meiosis. This process occurs specifically in anaphase I of meiosis, where homologous pairs are separated and pulled to opposite sides of the cell.
During meiosis, which is the type of cell division that produces gametes, the cell goes through two rounds of division: meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes line up at the equatorial plate and are then separated during anaphase I. This is a crucial step because it reduces the chromosome number by half, ensuring that when gametes fuse during fertilization, the resulting offspring have the correct number of chromosomes.
To summarize, homologous chromosomes move to opposite poles during anaphase I of meiosis, which is essential for genetic diversity and the proper distribution of chromosomes into the gametes.