What is meiosis primarily concerned with?

Meiosis is primarily concerned with the division of sex cells, also known as gametes. This specialized form of cell division reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four genetically diverse daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the original cell. This process is crucial for sexual reproduction, as it ensures that when two gametes fuse during fertilization, the resulting offspring has the appropriate diploid number of chromosomes.

Meiosis involves two distinct stages: meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated, while meiosis II resembles mitosis, where sister chromatids are separated. This reduction in chromosome number is essential for maintaining genetic stability across generations and contributing to genetic diversity through recombination and independent assortment during the formation of gametes.

In contrast, the other options pertain to other cellular processes. Body division typically refers to mitosis, which is responsible for somatic cell division and growth. Cell replication doesn't accurately describe meiosis, as replication (DNA synthesis) occurs prior to cell division, whether it is mitosis or meiosis. The growth of somatic cells relates to mitosis and does not involve the halving of chromosomes characteristic of meiosis. Therefore, the focus of meiosis on the