Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Reproduction is the biological process by which new individuals of the same species are produced, either by a single parent (asexual reproduction) or two parents (sexual reproduction).
This is the process where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent nucleus. It's part of asexual reproduction.
A type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell. It leads to genetic diversity and is involved in sexual reproduction.
The union of male and female gametes (sperm and egg) to produce a zygote, which will develop into a new individual. This happens in sexual reproduction.