Meiosis results in the production of four genetically diverse haploid cells from one diploid cell. This process is essential for sexual reproduction and contributes to genetic variation.
During meiosis, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two successive divisions: meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosome pairs separate, reducing the chromosome number by half. In meiosis II, the sister chromatids of each chromosome are separated. The final outcome is four haploid cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the original cell. These cells can develop into gametes, such as sperm and eggs in animals, which can then combine during fertilization to form a new organism with a complete set of chromosomes.