offspring from two parents = ½ the genes from each parent to create a unique organism  (sperm  + egg)

creates 2 identical sister cells for all cells except sex cells

creates 4 sex cells, each with just 1/2 the number of chromosomes needed for the species

female sex cell

male sex cell

a mature sex cell (egg or sperm) ready to unite

nucleic acids and proteins carrying genetic information

    and cell instructions

deoxyribonucleic acids - chemical makeup of the chromosomes

children or young

the organism whose gamete resulted in offspring

a fertilized egg of ovum