I don't understand the number of chromosomes!

46 4N means that you have replicated your 46 Chromosomes (each chromosome consists of 4 chromatids, not the usual situation which is 2 chromatids).

46 2N is the usual diploid state in all human somatic cells. 23 doubled together each pair consisting of two chromatids.

23 2N is when you halved the chromosomes, now you have only 23 chromosomes, what's called halploid.

so the "n" refers to the number of chromatids? In kaplan under embryo meiosis section it says spermatogonia (46/2n) replicate their dna to have 46/4n dna, then undergo meiosis 1 and the daughter cells have 23/2n, shouldn't it be 23/4n because only the chromosomes split, not the chromatids (the 23 chromosomes still have 4 chromatids). Hope this makes sense.

yeah i got the mitosis part down but even from that diagram, i dont get the meiosis and how it goes from 46/4n to 23/2n and eventually 23/1n, grr

I was taught this by my teacher in 10th or 11th grade but i forgot..the reason behind calling them -daughter chromatids or the daughter cysts...I always thought why girls so special..Why not Son chromosome or the Son cyst....Anyone remember the reason..and for the same reason they always clone to make a daughter..as in dolly the cloned sheep....

check out this one guys.....the best and the simplest i've found on "mieosis choromose number problem"..... Happy-2