In cellular biology, what is the primary outcome of meiosis?

The primary outcome of meiosis is the production of haploid gametes. Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, which results in four unique daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the original cell. This reduction is essential for sexual reproduction, as haploid gametes—such as sperm and eggs—combine during fertilization to restore the diploid chromosome number in the resulting zygote.

Haploid cells have only one set of chromosomes, which is crucial for maintaining genetic stability across generations. When gametes fuse, they create a diploid organism, thus ensuring that the complete set of genetic material is preserved.

Other potential outcomes do not align with the function of meiosis. Identical copies of cells are produced through mitosis, not meiosis. Diploid cells refer to cells with two sets of chromosomes, which is the state of the original cell before undergoing meiosis. Lastly, while cells can sometimes undergo mutations, meiosis itself does not directly produce mutated cells as part of its normal process.