How many variant gametes (in meiosis of a single cell) can be produced if we allow for crossing over on the longer of the two chromosomes? How many variants could be produced over time by a population of these cells undergoing meiosis and then fertilization?
Human diploid cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Because of independent assortment during meiosis I, there are 223, or 8.4 million possible gametes that may be created even if crossing over didn't occur
