Practice It! Select the statement(s) that accurately describes the purpose of the phases of meiosis I. During anaphase I, unique homologous chromosomes are equally but randomly pulled apart to opposite ends of the cell. During telophase I, duplicated chromosomes condense, the nuclear envelope disappears and the spindle apparatus form. During prophase I, crossing -over occurs where chromosomes swap or trade DNA creating genetic variation among the cells. Melosis I Is preceded by Interphase and followed by cytokinesis. During metaphase I Independent assortment occurs where chromosomes are line up randomly in the middle of the cell,

The following statements accurately describe the purpose of phases within Meiosis I:<br /><br />* **During anaphase I, unique homologous chromosomes are equally but randomly pulled apart to opposite ends of the cell.** This is a key event in meiosis I, contributing to genetic diversity. The random pulling apart (independent assortment) means that each daughter cell gets a mix of maternal and paternal chromosomes.<br /><br />* **During prophase I, crossing-over occurs where chromosomes swap or trade DNA creating genetic variation among the cells.** Crossing over, during prophase I, is another major source of genetic variation. It shuffles the genetic material within homologous chromosomes.<br /><br />* **Meiosis I is preceded by Interphase and followed by cytokinesis.** Meiosis I, like mitosis, is part of the cell cycle. It is preceded by Interphase, where DNA replication occurs, and followed by cytokinesis, where the cytoplasm divides, producing two daughter cells.<br /><br />* **During metaphase I, independent assortment occurs where chromosomes are lined up randomly in the middle of the cell.** The random alignment of homologous pairs along the metaphase plate is what enables the random segregation of chromosomes during anaphase I.<br /><br /><br />The following statement is **incorrect**:<br /><br />* **During telophase I, duplicated chromosomes condense, the nuclear envelope disappears, and the spindle apparatus forms.** These events are characteristic of *prophase*, not telophase. In telophase I, the chromosomes arrive at the poles, the spindle apparatus disassembles, and the nuclear envelope may reform. The chromosomes also *decondense* in some organisms.<br />