1genotype
The set of genes that an organism carries.
2phenotype
The set of traits that an organism expresses, such as hair color or eye color.
3sexual reproduction
The process of producing offspring that receive genetic material from two parents; in eukaryotes, the process occurs through meiotic cell division and fertilization.
4genetic variation
The range of different genotypes found among individuals.
5diploid
A cell with two sets of chromosomes
6haploid
A cell with one set of chromosomes
7meiosis
A form of cell division in which a parental cell divides in two stages to produce four daughter cells.
8sex chromosome
A chromosome associated with sex determination.
9autosome
A chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.
10homologous chromosomes
Two chromosomes that are similar in size and shape, and that carry the same genes.
11karyotype
A visual display of the pairs of chromosomes.
12meiosis I
The first step in meiosis in which homologous chromosomes are separated from each other.
13meiosis II
The second step in meiosis in which sister chromatids are separated from each other.
14non-sister chromatids
Chromatids that are not connected by a centromere.
15crossing over
A process in prophase I in meiosis when each chromatid can break at the chiasma and then connect to a non sister chromatid. Also known as recombination.
16gamete
A reproductive haploid cell; gametes fuse to form a diploid zygote. In many species, there are two types of gametes: eggs in females, sperm in males.
17zygote
The diploid cell formed by the fusion of two gametes.