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Multiple Choice
During prophase I of meiosis, how many chromosomes are present in a human cell?
A
69 chromosomes
B
23 chromosomes
C
92 chromosomes
D
46 chromosomes
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four daughter cells. It consists of two stages: meiosis I and meiosis II.
Recall that human cells typically have 46 chromosomes, which are organized into 23 pairs. This is the diploid number of chromosomes.
During prophase I of meiosis, the cell is preparing to divide. At this stage, the chromosomes have already been replicated during the preceding interphase, but they are still counted as 46 chromosomes because they are in pairs.
In prophase I, homologous chromosomes pair up in a process called synapsis, forming tetrads. Each tetrad consists of four chromatids, but the number of chromosomes remains 46.
Therefore, during prophase I of meiosis in a human cell, there are 46 chromosomes present, as the cell is still in the diploid state before the division process reduces the chromosome number.