Table 1.

Summary of the major events in each stage of the meiotic and mitotic cell cycle.

Stage of meiotic division	Outcome	Stage of mitotic division	Outcome
S Phase I	Duplication of genetic material, DNA double strand breaks induced by SPO11	S Phase	Duplication of genetic material
Prophase I	Chromosome condensation, homologous recombination	Prophase	Chromosome condensation
Metaphase I	Tetrad alignment at metaphase plate, cohesin degraded from chromosome arms but remains at centromere, monooriented sister kinetochores	Metaphase	Chromosome alignment at metaphase plate, cohesin degraded from centromere, bioriented sister kinetochores
Anaphase I	Homologous chromosomes separate to opposite sides of dividing cell, sister chromatids remain attached	Anaphase	Sister chromatids separate to opposite sides of dividing cell
Telophase I	Chromatid decondensation (sometimes just partial decondensation)	Telophase	Chromatid decondensation, two daughter cells are diploid
Prophase II	No chromosome duplication, chromosome recondensation
Metaphase II	Sister chromatids align at metaphase plate, cohesin degraded from centromere, bi-oriented sister kinetochores
Anaphase II	Sister chromatids separate to opposite sides of dividing cell
Telophase II	Chromosome decondensation, four daughter cells are haploid