Where does meiosis occur in the body?

Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that is crucial for sexual reproduction. It occurs exclusively in reproductive cells, which are the cells that give rise to gametes—sperm in males and eggs (ova) in females. This process reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in haploid cells that ensure genetic diversity when two gametes unite during fertilization.

In contrast, somatic cells, which make up the body's tissues and organs, undergo mitosis rather than meiosis. Mitosis is responsible for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction by producing identical diploid cells. Therefore, meiosis is confined to germ cells in the reproductive organs and does not take place in somatic or muscle cells, which are involved in different functions and types of cell division. This specificity is why understanding the role of meiosis within reproductive contexts is essential in biology.