UC Berkeley
Image Caption
When egg and sperm meet, the baby inherits a combination of genes that is totally unique: it carries versions of genes from all 4 grandparents plus any mutations that occurred when the mother and father were making the egg and sperm.
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This image is part of a series:
Reproduction (1 of 6) Egg, sperm, and zygote
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…
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.