Meiospore

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A reproductive cell formed by meiosis in plants and algae that develops into a new organism without fertilization ; a haploid spore produced through reduction division that grows into a gametophyte ; a specialized spore resulting from meiotic division in the life cycle which initiates the haploid phase
2. A haploid reproductive unit generated by meiosis in the life cycles of plants and certain algae, capable of developing directly into a gamete-producing organism ; a cell produced by reduction division that leads to the formation of gametophytes ; a meiosis-derived spore responsible for continuing the haploid generation in reproduction
3. A spore arising from meiotic division, carrying half the genetic material, that germinates to form a gametophyte in plants and algae ; a haploid product of meiosis which initiates the sexual phase by developing into gamete-producing structures ; a reproductive propagule formed by meiosis that sustains the alternation of generations in lower plants and algae

Etymology: Meiospore is a compound built from two parts. "Spore" comes from Greek "sporos," meaning seed or sowing, and it names the small reproductive cell that many fungi, algae and plants release to start a new organism. The first part, "meio-," comes from Greek "meiosis," meaning a lessening or reduction, and it is the same root that gives the biological process of meiosis its name. Put together, the word describes a spore produced by meiosis, the cell division that halves the number of chromosomes. Meiospores are therefore haploid, carrying only one set of genetic material, which is why the process matters so much to the life cycles of organisms that alternate between generations. The term is a transparent technical coinage. Its parts show exactly what it means: a spore that results from meiosis, rather than from ordinary cell division.

Synonyms: spore