Question

Bouquet stage is observed in _______stage of the cell division.
A. Leptotene
B. Zygotene
C. Diplotene
D. Pachytene

Answer 1

Hint: Cell division is defined as a process by which a parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells. There are two distinct types of cell division in eukaryotes- vegetative division in which each daughter cell is genetically identical to the parent called mitosis and a reproductive cell division called meiosis.

Complete Answer:
- In meiosis the number of chromosomes in the daughter cells is reduced by half to produce haploid gametes.
- In mitosis each daughter cell is genetically identical to the parent cell.
- Meiosis has one round of DNA replication followed by two divisions. Meiosis results in the formation of four haploid daughter cells.
- Prophase is the first stage of cell division in the meiosis as well as mitosis. Prophase begins after interphase. The main events that occur in prophase are- condensation of chromatin and disappearance of nucleolus.
- Meiosis has two rounds of chromosome segregation. So meiosis has prophase 1 and prophase 2.
- Prophase-1 has five phases- leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene and diakinesis.
- In leptotene chromosomes begin to condense. During this stage chromosomes attach themselves by their ends (telomeres) to the inner membrane of the nuclear envelope. At the transition to the zygotene stage at the nuclear envelope sector telomeres aggregate and form a meiotic bouquet.

So the correct answer is leptotene.

Note: Diakinesis is the final stage of prophase-1. In this stage full chromatin condensation has occurred and all four sister chromatids are seen in bivalents. Prophase-2 of meiosis is similar to prophase of mitosis. The meiosis is important to produce egg and sperm cells for sexual reproduction.