What is Meiosis?

Meiosis is a form of cell division where two daughter cells are formed from one parent cell. The process involves two rounds of cell division, meiosis I and meiosis II. During meiosis I, the genetic material is divided into two sets of chromosomes, and each set is placed in a separate cell. After meiosis I, the cells go through a second round of division, known as meiosis II. This process is also known as reductional division as it reduces the number of chromosomes in the daughter cells by half.

What is the Spindle?

The spindle is a structure of microtubules that forms during meiosis I. It is responsible for separating the chromosomes, which are composed of DNA, into two sets. The spindle is formed in the center of the cell and is composed of two sets of microtubules, one set on each side of the spindle. The microtubules attach to the chromosomes, and help to pull them apart so they can be placed into the two daughter cells.

The Disappearance of the Spindle

At the end of meiosis I, the spindle disappears. This is due to the fact that the microtubules that make up the spindle start to break down as the cell prepares for meiosis II. The spindle is not needed for meiosis II, as the chromosomes already have been separated into two sets. The spindle is then reassembled during the next round of meiosis, meiosis II.

What is Interkinesis?

Interkinesis is a short period of time between meiosis I and meiosis II. During interkinesis, the cell does not divide and the chromosomes remain in their two separate sets. During interkinesis, the cell prepares itself for meiosis II, which includes the reassembly of the spindle.

The Role of Interkinesis

Interkinesis is an important part of the meiosis process. It allows the cell to prepare itself for meiosis II, and also to repair any damage that may have occurred during meiosis I. It also allows the cell to form the spindle, which is necessary for the separation of the chromosomes into two sets. Without interkinesis, meiosis would not be able to occur.

Conclusion

The spindle disappears after meiosis I and interkinesis follows. Interkinesis is a short period of time between meiosis I and meiosis II where the cell does not divide and the chromosomes remain in two sets. During interkinesis, the cell prepares for meiosis II, which includes the reassembly of the spindle. Interkinesis is an important part of the meiosis process, as it allows the cell to repair any damage that may have occurred during meiosis I, and to form the spindle, which is necessary for the separation of the chromosomes into two sets.

References

Ganong, W.F. (2018). Review of Medical Physiology (25th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., & Walter, P. (2015). Molecular Biology of the Cell (6th ed.). New York, NY: Garland Science.

McKenzie, J. (2019, April 15). What is Interkinesis? Retrieved from https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-is-Interkinesis.aspx