Explain how chromosome behavior during meiosis ensures transfer of parental traits to offspring

The crossing over and the random segregation of homologous chromosomes into different daughter cells during meiosis ensures the transfer of parental traits to offspring.

Explanation:

Meiosis is a type of cell division in which four haploid daughter cells are produced from a diploid parent cell having two copies of each chromosome. The daughter cells produced after meiosis are genetically different and each cell is haploid containing one-half the number of chromosomes as that of the parent cell by undergoing DNA replication and nuclear division.

Meiosis I and meiosis II are the phases of meiosis. During the prophase of meiosis I, the condensation of chromatin into chromosomes occur and a contact is established between homologous chromosomes. Then the crossing over of genetic material between these chromosomes takes place. As a result, each chromosome is different from its parent chromosome and consequently, new genetic combinations are introduced. In the metaphase, the homologous chromosome pairs align at the center of the cell. Here half of each chromosome pair is positioned to each pole so that they do not end up in the same cell. During the anaphase, the homologous pairs are pulled toward the opposite poles. This chromosome behavior during meiosis ensures the transfer of parental traits to offspring.

In telophase, the chromosomes of each homologous pair reach the opposite poles and a new nuclear envelope develops around each haploid set of chromosomes. Chromatin is formed again as the chromosomes uncoil, cytoplasm pinches inward and divides (cytokinesis) forming two daughter cells.