Illustration of the first stage of meiosis (gametogenesis), a two-stage cell division process exclusive to production of male and female gametes in sexual reproduction. Gametes of both sexes contain only half (haploid) the full (diploid) complement of chromosomes. The first stage results in 2 haploid daughter cells (bottom right) with differing genetic constitutions to the mother cell (top left). Information exchange between homologous pairs of chromosomes (ribbons) is followed by separation of single chromosomes comprising each homologous pair to opposite ends of the spindle (the cell's dividing apparatus).