UC Berkeley
Image Caption
Eggs and sperm carry only half the usual number of chromosomes just 23 unpaired chromosomes, carrying one version of each gene. When the egg and sperm get together, the baby receives the normal 23 matched pairs.
Image use policy: For non-commercial, educational purposes, this image may be used with a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Please credit as follows: © University of California Museum of Paleontology, Understanding Evolution, www.understandingevolution.org
See where this image appears on the Understanding Evolution website »
To save: 1) Click on image for the full-size version, 2) right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac) on the image, and 3) select "Save image."
This image is part of a series:
Reproduction (2 of 6) Chromosome duplication
When eggs and sperm are produced, the parent cell first copies each chromosome, leaving the duplicate pairs attached to one another.
Reproduction (3 of 6) Recombination
Producing eggs and sperm is our first opportunity for mixing and matching genes. When the mother makes an egg, her chromosomes first find their matched partners and exchange some genes…
Reproduction (4 of 6) Meiosis, step one
Meiosis, step one.
Reproduction (5 of 6) Meiosis, step two
Meiosis, step two.