Practice question

Homologous chromosomes are morphologically similar chromosome pairs, one maternal and one paternal, sharing same size, centromere position, banding pattern and gene content with same genes at same loci though alleles may differ. They synapse intimately during zygotene of prophase I, undergo crossing over and disjoin at anaphase I, providing physical basis for Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment. Non-homologous chromosomes differ in gene composition, not present only in meiosis, homology reflects evolutionary and functional correspondence. This principle is routinely tested in NEET, CBSE 11-12, CUET, CSIR-NET, GATE and MSc Genetics examinations requiring clear conceptual distinction.