Final answer:
Meiosis is a critical process for sexual reproduction that begins before birth in females with the formation of primary oocytes and starts at puberty in males for sperm production. The process of meiosis in females is periodically completed with each menstrual cycle during reproductive years, and it occurs continuously in males from puberty onward. Therefore, the correct response to when meiosis takes place is during adulthood (C).
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Meiosis
Meiosis is a type of cell division that is crucial for sexual reproduction and occurs in specific cells known as germ cells. This specialized process takes place in two distinct events: meiosis I and meiosis II, both of which are necessary to reduce the diploid (2n) chromosome number by half, resulting in haploid (n) cells. These haploid cells are the gametes, meaning sperm and eggs. In humans, meiosis starts at different times depending on the sex of the individual.
Meiosis in Females
In females, oogenesis begins even before birth. A female's oogonia proliferate by mitosis, gradually forming primary oocytes that undergo the first division of meiosis. However, meiosis is arrested at the prophase I stage until puberty. When a woman reaches reproductive maturity, meiosis resumes and is completed once per menstrual cycle, resulting in the production of a single viable egg and polar bodies, which degenerate.
Meiosis in Males
In males, meiosis does not begin until puberty. At this stage, male germ cells called spermatogonia undergo spermatogenesis, which includes meiosis, to produce sperm. This process continues throughout a man's life, contributing to male fertility.
Given the above information, the correct answer to the question of when meiosis takes place in one's life is C. During adulthood. Although the foundation begins before birth in females, the actual completion of meiosis and production of gametes occurs from puberty onwards into adulthood.