Meiosis, also called reduction division, is a distinct type of cell division that is essential for sexual reproduction to occur. It is one in which two successive divisions of the diploid cell occur, thus producing four genetically different haploid daughter cells, also called gametes, each with half the number of chromosomes and therefore half the total amount of genetic material compared to the amount before the beginning of meiosis. . Interphase precedes meiosis and then paves the way for meiosis when the cell's DNA replicates in S phase producing matching, identical chromosomes. Interphase triggers the wonderful process of meiosis that allows variation to shine through within the organisms in which it occurs, thus giving rise to millions of organisms with unique appearances unlike any other on Earth. Since meiosis is itself a form of sexual reproduction, it is the means by which gametes are produced, each with a reduced number of chromosomes, so that when two gametes fuse during fertilization, they not only form a diploid zygote with 46 chromosomes, but they also showed different characteristics due to the reorganization (crossing-over) of the chromosomes. Meiosis is a type of cell division that is key for sexual reproduction to operate in contrast to mitosis, a form of asexual reproduction that is for the purpose of cell growth, repair, and regeneration. Since meiosis produces four non-identical haploid daughter cells, it is vitally important to allow for variation in a population which provides the basis for evolution, as it allows a species to adapt to changes in its environment. As I mentioned briefly before, meiosis is divided into two phases: meiosis I and II. These phases are further characterized... center of paper ......trunks that had separated in meiosis, now separate in meiosis II. Therefore, the four haploid daughter cells that form at the end of meiosis II each have two strands of chromatids. Meiosis I, unlike meiosis II, separates the homologs and thus transforms the original diploid cell into a haploid cell. This would be called reduction. Meiosis II then takes a further step forward by dividing the already separated homologues. Meiosis II is very similar to mitosis in that it simply divides the remaining set of chromosomes and for this reason is just one division. The entire procedure is called reduction division due to the references that could be applied to each of the phases. However, the distinctive aspect of meiosis is its reduction since the first phase determines a change of the cell in terms of haploid/diploid and since the first division is not followed by replication.